Demon Of The Woods
by KazeKunoichi
Summary: 16 year old orphan, Zakuro is tired of her provincial life, her best friend Sasuke is acting different. After venturing too far into the woods Zakuro finds her self the Demon's prisoner. However is Gaara really a monster? Or just lonely?GaaraXOC SasukeXOC
1. Chapter 1 Meeting's and Parting's

Zakuro looked out at the blackened night sky that loomed over her home village. Behind her she heard a loud shout and then a crash. Sighing she turned from the window of the Inn where she worked. before he died her father had owned this place, it was now run by crotchety old woman who worked Zakuro to death. However she still worked here because it held so many memories of ther father and she needed the money to live on her own. Unfortunately her mother had died within hours of her birth, with only one chance to hold Zakuro before she passed on. Still life was begining to crash on her like an ocean wave, repetitive and harsh.

"How's my favorite waitress today?"

Zakuro looked up from the drinks she'd been pouring. "Hi Sasuke." She smiled at her childhood friend. He was now known as the young heart throb of the village. His pitch black hair fell perfectly around his angular face, and hung in his dark eyes.

He cocked his head and smiled with one side of his mouth. "Thought maybe you'd like some company walking home tonight." Sasuke sat down at the bar and leaned toward Zakuro.

Zakuro sighed and shook her head, picking up the tray of drinks in one hand she lifted the section of the bar and stepped out. "Sasuke didn't we talk about this." Sasuke had always been her friend since the two met at the age of five. But lately he'd been getting a little too touchy-feely for her. She walked to a table of four men, they all looked up and smiled eagerly at her.

"Hey Zakuro." One piped up. " You doing anything later? I was wondering if you might grace me with the presence of an angel." He smirked.

Zakuro looked at him from under her eye lashes. "Sorry Hayate," She pouted. " I'll have to take a rain check."

"I'll hold you to it." Hayate called after her. A chorus of snickers and high-fives followed.

She winked a blue eye at him before she walked away. Turning she came face to face with Sasuke, he had a peculiar look on his face. "What?" She asked.

"Nothing." He quickly said and then smiled a very Sasuke-ish smile." I just want to walk my best friend home."

Zakuro cocked an eyebrow. "Yeah right." She smiled teasingly and headed back toward the bar.

Sasuke caught her elbow. "Seriously, I just htought it would be nice to walk you home." He turned on all the charm that those dark eyes could hold. Zakuro couldn't help but stare but only for a moment. Sasuke knew he was winning this arguement. "C'mon," He pouted.

Zakuro sighed. "Okay."

"Great."

"Zakuro!!"

The two turned to see Machi, the woman who now owned the Inn. She was a woman of fifty, who looked more like five thousand. Her eyes were beady and practically hidden by the wrinkles around her eyes, that were too numerous to count. She was hunched over and resembled an old tortoise and was just as slow. "I don't pay you to socialize with your friend, girl." Her words were garbled from her lack of teeth. "If anything save it for the customers." She said refering planly to Zakuro's looks.

"Yes Machi." Zakuro smiled. But then turned from the old woman to scowl and curse.

Sasuke raised his eyebrows. "Easy there girl. It'll be okay."

"Alright," She sighed. "I've got to finish my shift. Then we'll go."

"Okay then." Sasuke smiled and sat down at a table. "I'll be here."

An hour later Zakuro whistled and wiped her brow on her apron. She looked over to where she'd left Sasuke, a huge group of girls Zakuro's age of sixteen and younger and even some older surrounded him.

"As usuall." Zakuro rolled her eyes.

Word traveled fast in the village as to where Sasuke was among the young women. The girls were staring at him with longing, some fiddled with their hair trying to get it perfect so he would notice them. However he was looking at Zakuro. She knew from being his friend that Sasuke prefered long hair. Zakuro thought nothing of it, but running a hand through her long honey colored locks, she thought otherwise.

Not only a heart throb Sasuke was a notorious story teller. He was constantly entrancing the villagers during the community bon-fire.

"Tell us a story Sasuke." A small brunette girl of thirteen piped up, trying to get his attention on her. "Please." She batted her large brown eyes at him.

Sasuke looked at her and smiled his trademark smile. A very sly smile. "Very well. But which one?"

The girls squealed with glee and huddled closer to him

"One of love." Another girl said, smiling.

"No," Another girl interupted. "A tragedy."

Sasuke thought for a minute. "How about one of the village tales passed down for three hundred years." He cleared his throat. "This story," He began. "Is not for the faint of heart." His ebony eyes sparked with and even darker look. Zakuro quickly noted that for as quickly as it had come it was gone. "I think I'll tell you of the Demon of the woods."

Zakuro bit her lip. Now she understood that look.

"You see many who have wandered too far into the woods have never returned because they have met the Demon. It's been said that when you get lost in the woods that border our village, you hear him following you." Sasuke wandered slowly around as he spoke taking in the fear in the girl's eyes. All have been warned away from the woods since the day of their birth. "However when you look, you're just alone in the woods. This can go on for hours or only minutes. It depends on how the Demon feels that day. You know the worst is near when you hear the music he has written." Sasuke paused. "Beautiful music. But be warned it is the Demon. Very few have seen him and lived to tell about it, but those who have find they can never sleep again for this corpse of a demon haunts their dreams. His skin is as pale as moonlight, his eyes sunken in and flash fire, his limbs as twisted as a dead tree. And if you ever hear the music," Sasuke paused again, looking at the terrified faces of his audience. "AHHHH!!" Sasuke lunged at the girls. They jumped and screamed. "The end." He whispered and smiled. "You must always be on your guard, he could find you. He enjoys targeting young women. And others." He added and that look returned to his eyes, vengence.

Zakuro walked over to place a hand on the shoulder of a trembling girl. "Don't let him scare you." She smiled. "Besides," She looked at Sasuke. "It's not wise to speak of him remember." Along with being warned away from the woods all the villagers were warned not to talk about the Demon. "To speak of him is to bring him upon you."

Sasuke snorted. "Let him come." Quick as a flash he pulled out his kunai. "I'll take care of him once and for all."

Zakuro rolled her eyes. "It's only a legend anyway." Turning she said over shoulder. "I'll be right back Sasuke then we'll go."

"You're not scared of the Demon, Zakuro?" Sasuke smirked.

"No." Zakuro kept walking headed for the backroom behind the bar. suddenly a flash of gray flew just past the left side of her face and hit the wall. She looked back to see Sasuke's right hand out stretched, the knife gone. "You missed."

" 'Wasn't aiming for you." He replied with a chuckle.

Zakuro then felt her bangs fall loose around her face. She looked at the wall to find her red hair ribbon nailed to the wall by the kunai. She made a face and looked back at Sasuke. "Show-off."

The girls all squealed again. Their fear evaporated by Sasuke's show of talent. "Only Sasuke." Zakuro thought.

"Incedible shot Sasuke." One praised.

"Unbelieveable." Another said.

Zakuro walked right past where the hair ribbon was. She'd get it tomorrow, she hated it anyway. Machi made her wear her hair back while she worked. Zakuro prefered her hair loose. So had her father, he'd always praised her hair and told her it looked just like her mother's. Zakuro's throat tightened as she closed the backroom door behind her.

Sasuke walked over to the kunai and removed it from the wall. He looked at the red ribbon for a minute before pocketing it.

Inside the backroom Zakuro took a few deep breaths to calm herself down as her vision started to blur. Three of the backroom walls were lined with small lockers, when her father was still alive all of those lockers belonged to an employee now only five were taken. The wall that held the door was cieling to floor mirror and a small chandelier hung from the ceiling.

Zakuro untied her apron and pulled her black cloak out of her locker, placing the apron inside she slammed it shut. Turning she took in her reflection, her long dirty blond hair and ocean blue eyes, pale skin covered in a crimson red dress that showed off an ample bust and thin waist. She turned a few times wishing she wasn't so skinny and taller than 5' 4''.

"Ready to go?"Zakuro asked walking back out to the main room.

"Yep." Sasuke said goodbye to his adoring fans and met Zakuro at the door. He took her heavy cloak and pulled it over her shoulders and held the door open for her. Stepping out into the cold night, the wind bit at their faces as an omen of the oncoming winter. They walked in silence for awhile before Sasuke suddenly asked. "What's with you insisting that the Demon's a legend?"

"Because it is."

"What if it isn't?" Sasuke was walking faster now. "Remember all those girls who disappeared."

"They didn't disappear." Zakuro said. "They moved or got married."

"Them why were they all last seen outside the woods?" Sasuke glared at the tree line on the horizon. "Just as well I suppose." He shugged.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Zakuro asked, struggling to keep up with his strides.

He shrugged again. "Women are just more succeptable to falling into traps."

"What ?!" Zakuro stopped dead.

"I didn't mean you." Sasuke turned back his eyes apologetic. "You're a lot smarter than that. It's just women are more weak minded than men."

"What?!" Zakuro blushed with anger.

Sasuke held his hands up in front of him. "Wait that came out wrong."

"You think so !"

Sasuke sighed. "I'm sorry Zakuro." He rubbed a hand over his face and through his long bangs. "I've just been under a lot of pressure lately so I'm acting like and idiot."

Zakuro was confused now. "What kind of pressure?"

"My parents are all on my case about getting married." He looked into Zakuro's eyes in a way that her cringe on the inside. "I'm just waiting for the perfect girl to say yes."

Zakuro shook her head. "Not again." She thought. Her head snapped up as Sasuke grabbed her hand, he met her halfway grasping her face with his other hand.

"Please just give me a chance." He whispered.

Zakuro tried to wriggle out of his grasp, but he held her tight. "Sasuke," She tried to let him down easy like she had before. However her patience was wearing thin. "I've told you before, I don't like you that way." Besides her own feelings Zakuro had promised her father on his death bed that she wouldn't marry Sasuke. He had confessed to her that he loved Sasuke like a son and how Sasuke always took care of her, but there was something he had never liked about Sasuke. Zakuro now knew what that was. Sasuke's attitude and how everything has to go his way. "Someday you'll find that girl and she'll be the luckiest in the world." She smiled at him.

"I already have that girl." He bent his face to hers, to kiss her. This was the third time this week that he'd tried.

Zakuro was quicker than him, she slipped out of his grasp and shoved him in the chest. He stumbled back before landing on his back on the ground. Zakuro stood over him. "I don't know how many times I have to tell you this!" She was furious now. "I have no interest in you that way! Get it throught your thick head before you ruin our friendship!"

Sasuke was on his feet in seconds. "Excuse me for wanting the girl I love to love me back!" He was furious now too.

"You're not excused! You need to backoff !"

Sasuke waved his hands through the air. "That's it! I'm done! Walk yourself home!"

"Fine!" Zakuro yelled walking off.

Sasuke was fuming. "Don't expect to see me in the Inn tomorrow!"

"Don't expect me to want to see you in the Inn tomorrow!" She shouted over her shoulder.

Sasuke watched her walk away. "When I see something I want," He muttered under his breath. "I don't let anything get in my way." He walked toward his home.

Zakuro was still fuming as she walked to her house. "I don't believe him." She thought angrily. "He's changed since..." Her words fell away. A few years ago Sasuke's brother had been found dead outside the woods and it was rumored that the Demon was responsible. Needless to say Sasuke believed the rumor. This had torn Sasuke apart. He and his brother had been so close, Zakuro had been jealous when she watched to two of them. She had wanted a sibling to take care of her, to watch over her. After his brother's death Sasuke had changed, he was darker and harsher. He'd hidden it well around Zakuro but she'd always been able to see throught his facade. She knew how to read people. She'd now discovered that the vengeful glint in Sasuke's eyes and how he now hid his true self from her was what her father had seen those years ago.

She sighed. Her life was going nowhere. Sasuke was getting too close to her and thus pushing her away. He wasn't her friend anymore, he was somebody else. Zakuro was so lost in thought that she hadn't noticed the tears stinging her eyes. Now her tears fell like rain, silently sliding down her cheeks and shining like stars in the street lamp light whenthey came to rest on her cloak. She missed her father, her friend was gone, everything was going wrong. Zakuro felt her shoulder's shake with every silent sob. She wanted to leave this all behind. Suddenly a small gust of wind made her look up and she gave a start, the forest lay before her.

Not many other than Zakuro were brave enough to live this close to the woods but they'd never intimidated her, she rather liked them. The sounds of the forest seemed to sing her to sleep every night. The view from her bedroom window was her own private heaven. When she used to sing the forest sang with her. She smiled and took a determined step forward. She would show that Sasuke "weak minded". Glancing around Zakuro spotted a lantern sitting on a short stone wall surounding the house on her right. She recognized it as Shikamaru's house. He and Zakuro were close friends. She even found him quite attractive dispite his lazy attitude. He wouldn't mind if she borrowed that lantern for awhile. Picking up the box of matches beside the lantern, she popped one with her thumb and lit the wick inside. She closed the lantern, blowing out the match she tossed it aside. She picked up the lantern and set off for the woods.

However when she stood at the edge of the forest looking into the darkness that lay before her, Zakuro's mouth went dry. She was one of the bravest girls in the village,any of the others would have run back screaming by now. But when another gust of wind seemed to forbid her from entering, she shivered. With a deep breath and a glance behind her she stepped onto the forest path.

Meanwhile back in the village Shikamaru stepped out of his house, his dark hair tousled. He yawned loudly, after just being rudely awakened from his third nap today by his mother. "Man is she scary." He muttered. " I've got to remember to ask Dad why he married her." Mid-yawn he noticed the missing lantern. He walked to where he'd left it earlier and raised an eyebrow. Then he noticed a light in his peripheral vision, turning he saw a small figure poised in front of the woods. He knew who it was immediately.

"Zakuro, what are you up to?"

The sounds of the forest were beautiful. The trees breathed with her, small animals scurried away and the sound of their feet was like music to her. Even the shrill cries of bats above her head made her smile. She wandered for what felt like hours, then the trees opened up and Zakuro found herself in a huge clearing. Her jaw dropped in awe as she took in the sight of a large mansion with walls ten feet high surrounding it. A stone bridge lay before her and she could hear the sound of a river far beneath it. The building glowed in the moonlight and Zakuro shivered again. Suddenly a flash of lightning struck across the sky and she saw a menacing man standing on the second floor balcony. She gasped and stepped back as a roll of thunder shook the ground under her feet. She quickly looked back at the balcony, the man was gone. Zakuro shook her head, her heart pounding in her chest. After one huge drop hit her square on the head the sky opened up and it began to pour.

"Perfect." Zakuro mumbled as another thunder clap shook the earth. Then she set her face hard, convinced that the man she'd seen was just a trick of the lightning and her imagination. She had to get out of this rain. Zakuro stepped onto the bridge.

"Do this Sakura. Do that Sakura." Inside the dimly lit mansion a girl the age of sixteen was carrying a pile of clothing. Her short pink hair was tied back in a black ribbon that matched her dress. "I'm really getting tired of this." Glancing out the window her green eyes went wide as she beheld a small blond girl carrying a lantern walking toward the mansion doors. The clothes fell from her arms. "Oh no." She whispered. "Naruto!" She called rushing to the stairway.

"I know. I saw." A boy with spiky blond hair answered from the bottom of the stairs.

Sakura hurried down the stairs, cursing the length of her skirt and the two looked out the front window. "Do you think he'll-?" Sakura was cut off by the sound of a slamming door upstairs. Naruto and Sakura locked eyes momentarily as a dark figure walked down the stairs and headed for the door.

"Sir?" Naruto said.

He was cut off by a harsh command. "Stay inside." As soon as the figure was out the door he vanished.

The two stood there momentarily chilled by tone of their master's voice. Suddenly Naruto swung his fist through the air. "I hate it when he gets like this!" He yelled.

Sakura sighed. "You should know well enough by now that that is the way he is." She said skeptically.

"Yeah well, I'm tired of it!" Naruto paced the floor of the hall.

"There's nothing we can do remember." Sakura placed her hands on her hips. "Our ancestors signed in blood."

"So now we're his slaves." Naruto stopped pacing. "You'd think our ancestors would've been a little smarter."

Sakura scowled. "That's not realy the brightest thing to say, genius."

"What are they gonna do, haunt me?" Naruto smirked.

"Probably." Sakura quickly bit her thumb.

"Yeah right." Naruto turned his back to her and bit his thumb too, shedding his blood to ward off bad luck and evil spirits.

"That poor girl." Sakura knew what that girl's fate would be. She looked out the window, dreading what she might see. "She's still coming!" She exclaimed. The girl was nearly at the front door.

"What!!" Naruto ran to the window.

Sakura glanced at him. "She can't see us." She whispered and draged Naruto by the collar of his shirt into the study.

"Hey!!" He yelled.

Outside, the rain pelted Zakuro like ice cold bullets, chilling her to the bone. Her cloak was soaked and clung to her slim frame, she nearly tripped twice. Finally reaching the door Zakuro held the lantern high, there was nothing to tell her who lived here. Suddenly Zakuro got the creeping feeling that someone was watching her. She turned as another flash of lightning lit up the clearing, she didn't see anyone. Turning back she mustered up her courage and knocked on the door.

Inside Sakura and Naruto froze. "Just ignore her, she'll go away." Sakura closed her eyes and whispered.

Zakuro knocked again. Naruto headed for the door. "I'm gonna answer it." He said.

"Oh no you're not." Sakura grabbed him and threw him up against the wall. "You want to get us all killed?!"

"I'm not scared of him Sakura." Naruto insisted. "And I'm not just gonna let that girl stand out there."

Zakuro knocked once more. She still felt like someone was watching her and it was making her skin crawl. She needed to shake this. She tried the door handle, it clicked open. Peering inside for a moment, she stepped inside and closed the door behind her. However unknown to her, a shadowy figure of a man stood on the bridge, an unreadable look on his rain soaked face.


	2. Chapter 2 A Stranger's Prisoner

"Hello." Zakuro called. Her voice echoed through the large hall, making her sound ghostly. She set the lantern down on a small table next to the door and gazed around. The hall was lit by a huge chandalier high above her head, a grand staircase lay to her right, beside the stairs extended another hallway, and a light was cast from a room to her left. "Is anyone here?" She called.

Naruto and Sakura watched from from the study. "The door was unlocked." Sakura hissed through clenched teeth.

"It's always unlocked." Naruto said. "We don't often have visitors." He paused. "Inside the house anyway."

Zakuro cautiously stepped the room where the light was coming from. It was a living room, two lush red velvet couches sat before an enormous fireplace, the light was being cast from the fire. Still shivering from cold Zakuro was grateful for the fire. She quickly rushed over to it and sat down in front of the flames. She held her numb fingers as close to the fire as she could stand and her gathered her wet cloak around her.

"I don't understand." Sakura whispered looking back at Naruto. "Why didn't the master kill her?"

"Why you asking me?" Naruto started walking toward the living room.

"What are you doing?"

Naruto shrugged, walking backward. "I'm going to go meet her."

Sakura cursed at his retreating back.

Zakuro watched the lightning and rain through the window. "I hope no one minds if I sit out this storm." She thought. "I'll die of cold if I go back out there."

"You could use one of these if you want."

Zakuro jumped and spun around. There stood a boy her age, his blond hair tousled wearing a simple white shirt and black pants. He held a blanket in his hands, he smiled at her and walking over placed it over Zakuro's shoulders."You're shaking like a leaf." He said.

Zakuro pulled the blanket close. The boy's smile was warm and kind and Zakuro found herself smiling too. "So," She glaned around. "Is this your place?"

The boy laughed. "Yeah I wish. No I'm just the hired help. I'm Naruto." He sat down.

"And you're driving me insane."

Zakuro turned to see a girl with pink hair standing in the doorway. "He's going to be really mad."

Naruto scowled. "C'mon don't be such a wet blanket." He looked back at Zakuro. "That's Sakura."

Zakuro bit her full lower lip, a nervous habit she's had since she was little. She thought about what Sakura said. "Is your master around?"

Naruto shrugged. "Somewhere. I never really know."

Sakura walked into the room. "He's like a ghost. He comes and goes as he pleases."

"Yeah a hot headed short tempered ghost." Naruto laughed again. Zakuro must've looked frightened because Naruto quickly added. "Don't worry too much he's all talk."

"Naruto." Sakura whispered, trying to get his attention.

Naruto didn't hear her. "I'd be more afraid of a fluffy little kitten."

Sakura waved her arms at him. "Naruto." She hissed.

"He's just so annoying and bossy." Naruto continued. "A real-"

"Naruto!!" Sakura yelled.

He looked back at Sakura. "What?!"

They all froze at the sound of someone clearing their throat. Turning they saw a young man standing in the doorway, his messy maroon colored hair dripping, his slate blue eyes were ringed with heavy dark circles. He wore a black suit with a red vest underneath it. "Please finish your sentence Naruto." He said coldly.

Naruto chuckled uncomfortably.

For a breif moment those cold blue eyes locked with Zakuro's. And in that moment she forgot to breathe, her lungs ached for air but she couldn't look away. She felt as if he could see right through her. Finally he looked way and the spell broke, Zakuro gasped for breath.

He blinked and turned to the two servants. "It's not like the two of you to disobey me." He said.

"I didn't want to let her in sir."Sakura quickly said.

Naruto stood. "Geez Sakura grow a backbone. "One the door was open and two you told us to stay inside the mansion which we did. So we didn't disobey you."

"Alright don't get smart with me." The man said. Glancing at Zakuro he then said. "Out. I'll deal with you two later."

The tone of his voice sent a shiver through all of them. "Yes sir." Naruto and Sakura mumbled and quickly walked out of the room.

Zakuro felt his gaze on her back and wished more than anything that she'd stayed outside. She stared at the flames of the fire, noting how his eyes shot sparks of their own. Zakuro listened as he walked over to her, trembling she placed a hand over her heart,willing it to slow its beating. when he reached her she looked at his shoes but didn't look up,or rather she couldn't. Suddenly with inhuman speed he went down on one knee and grasped Zakuro underneath her chin, forcing her to look at him. His hand has as cold as ice and stung her face, she tried to pull away but he held her tight. She looked everywhere but into those eyes and did her best to ignore the fact that his face was inches from hers. His breath, that was as cold as his touch softly caressed her face, giving her goosebumps.

Those piercing eyes studied her every feature. she looked at the fire, the floor, she even clamped her eyes shut. "Calm down." She thought. Her heart was beating like crazy,she was sure he could hear it. Slowly the iron grip on her face lightened and Zakuro opened her eyes. Was it the light or did his eyes look different? They did. This time when their eyes met his were soft and pleading. Just like before Zakuro forgot to breathe.

His voice was barely a whisper. "And just what are you doing here?" He asked.

Zakuro's mind was blank, his eyes still had her spellbound. A mumbled "What?" Was all she could manage.

His eyes slowly gained back that same coldness Zakuro saw before. She quickly got her common sense back as well as her fear. "Oh." She stumbled over her words. "I was just walking in the woods." She explained, looking away so she could speak without losing her train of thought. "I just came in to get out of the rain."

A large rumble of thunder shook the windows in their panes and a flash of lightning lit the room for a split second. He looked at the rain streaming down the window's glass. Arching what Zakuro suddenly noticed was a lack of an eyebrow, he said. "Peculiar time to take a walk in the woods."

"I can take care of myself." Zakuro glanced at the dark red mark that spelled out "love" over his left eye.

"I'm sure you can." He said sarcasticly.

Zakuro shifted uncomfortably. "I'll leave if that's what you want." Zakuro tried to move out of his grasp, but he held her tight. The seconds felt like hours and her face ached from the cold of his touch.

Finally he gently released her. "You're not going anywhere." Turning on his heel he walked out the door.

Zakuro touched her face where his hand had been, her skin felt freezing cold. "Wait?" Zakuro was still dazed. "What?"

Stopping short in the doorway he said. "Exactly what I said."

"I don't understand." Zakuro stood, letting the blanket around her fall to the floor.

With an irritated sigh he turned to face her. "You're my prisoner now. You don't leave until I say you can." His fury was obvious, his voice filled with loathing. He turned back toward the hall. "And hell if I ever do."

Zakuro was out of the living room and at the door before he had time to think. She tried the door. It was locked. Strangely Zakuro couldn't find a dead bolt or a key lock on the door. She felt her throat tighten and her hands started to tremble. Turning back she saw him leaning casually against the stair railing, one arm on the rail. "Who do you think you are?" Zakuro meant it to be forcefull, but the lump in her throat turned her words in to a whimper. "You can't keep me here."

"I have a feeling I can." His voice was flat and emotionless. "I control everything in this mansion. You're trapped."

Zakuro's heartbeat thudded in her ears as she rushed past him. He stared at her startled. "We'll see about that." She thought furiously. Reaching another set of doors she found it locked as well.

"I told you so."

Gasping Zakuro whipped around to see him standing right beside her. She hadn't heard him approach. "Let me out of here." She demanded.

"Let me think," He paused. "No." He walked back toward the hall. "It's about time I taught those who wish to bother me a lesson."

"Don't you just walk away from me." Zakuro said. "Hey wait!" She called when he didn't stop. Running to the hall, she looked around to find him gone. Looking to the second floor landing she saw him disappear down the hall. "Hey come back here!" Running down the hallway Zakuro immediately found him gone. She ran frantically through the halls trying to find him, cursing her dress's length. There was no sign of him anywhere. Zakuro stopped to catch her breath and noticed a large stack of paper in a glass case against the wall. Looking closer she saw that it was sheet music. Her eyes went wide as she read the title. "Don Juan Triumphant." She mumbled. "Impossible." She reached out to touch the glass.

"Don't touch that!" She looked to see him standing at the end of the hall. "I worked for years on that." He said.

Zakuro looked at the music in the case. Then she looked back to where he'd last been, he was gone. "Hey wait!" She ran to the end of the hall to see him vanish around the corner. As he walked through a large door, she ran to it and placed her foot between it and the jamb just as he was closing it.

He gazed down at her for a long moment. He wasn't used to being disobeyed. "Move." He commanded.

"Make me." Zakuro stood tall, her face set hard.

His blue eyes were as cold as stone. In a flash he reached out and grabbed Zakuro's wrist, his touch was searing cold. She tried with all her might to pull away but his grip was like an iron vise. "I'll give you fair warning. I have a very short temper and if you push me any further I won't hesitate to kill you." His grip tightened, making Zakuro cry out, bringing tears to her eyes. "And another piece of friendly advice," He continued. "Stay away from this room." He released her with such force that she stumbled backward nearly falling and slammed the door without another word.

Clutching her aching wrist Zakuro sobbed silently, too terrified to make a sound. She ran back to the first floor almost blinded by her tears.

Back upstairs however the young man leaned against the door, his eyes closed and taking deep breaths to calm himself. He placed a hand over

his heart, a gesture he hadn't done in years and wondered what this strange aching meant. He didn't like this feeling and wished it would stop.

Finally opening his eyes he took in the single balck rose that lay suspened beneath a glass case on the small table before him. He walked over to it, his shoes crunching over broken glass and kicking aside crumpled sheets of paper and empty ink bottles. He watched two petals silently fall on the table, settling like two pieces of the night sky. He sighed, he was running out of time. A soft knock came from the door. "Come in." He barked.

Naruto walked in flanked by Sakura. He bowed and she curtsied. "You wanted to see us sir." Naruto said.

He turned to glare at them, they flinched. "Can one of you tell me what was clearly stated in the contract your ancestors signed?" Naruto and Sakura looked at the floor. "Because I thought it stated that you were to obey my family. It was indeed a blood cantract and as their decendents you are to..."

"Obey without question." The two servants said.

"Good." He stepped over to them, where Saskura stood trembling slightly and Naruto stared him down. "Now let me tell you now," He went on. "That any further acts against me will be dealt with in harshest manner I can come up with."

"Yes sir." They nodded.

"Very well." He went to sit at the large organ that filled most of the room. "You're dismissed."

Naruto headed for the door but Sakura lingered. "Sir?" She said timidly.

"I said you're dismissed."

"I know sir," She continued." I was...just wondering...why you...left the girl alive?"

He looked back over his shoulder at her. "That's none of your concern."

"Well maybe we are concerned." Naruto shouted from the doorway. "Considering how that girl is now inside the house Sakura and I keep running."

Their master glared at Naruto for a moment before turning back to the sheet music before him that lay half finished. "I don't know why." He whispered. He couldn't explain it. Outside when he'd first saw her he'd stopped dead in his tracks. She was beautiful and the determined look on her face made him chuckle. "She's not afraid." He'd thought. He wanted to see what she would do next so he let her enter the mansion. But now he didn't want to let her go. It was all very confusing.

Now he noticed that he didn't have any ink. Standing he walked to his desk and began searching for an ink bottle. As he looked through the drawers, he waved away clouds of dust that rose to his face.

"Will you be playing tonight sir?" Sakura asked.

"Yes." He replied as he found a full bottle of ink. He picked it up revealing a photo of a woman with sandy colored hair and warm violet eyes. The frame's glass was shattered. He slammed the drawer closed.

"You haven't played for awhile." Sakura said. "Did insipiration strike?"

He sat back down at the organ. "You could say that." He opened the bottle.

"Well, goodnight sir."Sakura curtsied and followed Naruto out. The two walked silently through the hall for a moment before Sakura whispered. "I knew it."

"Knew what?" Naruto asked.

Sakura stopped to face him. "He likes her."

Naruto looked confused. "Who? The master? Likes Zakuro?" He laughed loudly. "Yeah right. He only likes himself." He started walking away.

Sakura stopped him. "I'm serious Naruto." And her face told him she really was. "That's why he left her alive."

Naruto rolled his eyes. "How would you know anyway?"

Sakura gave him a sour look. "Trust me. Girls can tell these things." She watched him roll his eyes again. "She's the one. I just know it."

"The one what?" Naruto was really confused now.

"The one to break the curse." Sakura replied. "And if the curse is broken we're free." She added.

"What are you talking about?!" Naruto yelled.

Sakura gave a loud irritated sigh. "Come with me." And she dragged him to the library. She looked through shelf after shelf on the second floor of the library. "Where is it?" She muttered.

Naruto was flipping through a book on jutsu. "What are you looking for anyway?"

"A copy of the contract we're bound to." She called form atop a ladder. "Found it." She pulled it out and took it to a table. Naruto tossed the book aside and went to look over her shoulder. Sakura searched through the contract copy to find what she was looking for. "Aha here." She said. "And if the curse should be broken at that time this contract shall be null and void." She read.

"Huh?" Naruto read over her shoulder. "Well I'll be damned. It is there."

"Told you so." Sakura said with a smug smile.

Naruto shook Sakura by the shoulders. "We gotta get those two together!"

Sakura pushed him away. "Duh! But it's not that simple." She glanced back to the contract copy. "She has to love him back, dispite what he is." Sakura looked unsure.

"How do you know?" Naruto asked.

Sakura flipped through the contract again and pointed to a paragraph. Naruto looked. "...true love...dispite...what he is." He caught Sakura's smug smile. "You read too much."

Now it was Sakura's turn to roll her eyes. "Still nothing says we can't help them along." She said deviously with a smile.

"Yes!" Naruto punched the air. "I love loopholes!"

Inside the living room however, Zakuro lay shivering on the couch dispite the fire's warmth. She pulled the blanket close and dried her eyes. "Good job Zakuro." She thought. "I could've just gone home but no. Now I'm some creep's prisoner." Her wrist still throbbed where he'd grabbed her and her pulse refused to return to normal. She couldn't get those eyes out of her head, so cold and piercing it seemed as if he could see right through to her soul. Still when they had softened before she'd seen so much pain in them and something else she couldn't name.

Then Zakuro heard something that made her heart skip a beat, a soft haunting music. She sat up to hear it better, closed her eyes and breathed it in. The song was beautiful, portraying a strong sense of saddness, passion, and longing. It flowed through her so natural, like her own blood. She suddenly found herself filled with memories of her father, who loved music and Zakuro did too. She used to sing everyday and always her father would encourage her, telling her she would be great singer someday. He told her when she sang he was in the presence of an angel. However after her father's death, Zakuro stopped singing, her passion having died with him.

Suddenly the music stopped. Zakuro's eyes flew open, now filled with tears. She didn't want it to stop. It was unlike anything she'd ever heard before, so incredibly beautiful the heavens were surely jealous. She wiped away her tears and whispered to herself. "Little Lotte thought of everything and nothing." She recalled a quote from her favorite play ever The Phantom Of The Opera. "Her father promised her he would send her an angel of music." She thought of her captor. "Her father promised her." Zakuro laid back down. "Her father promised her." The music soon began again within minutes and the sorrowful melody lulled her to sleep.


	3. Chapter 3 Demon?

It was late morning when Zakuro finally woke. Turning on her side she fell from the couch with a loud thud. "Ow." She muttered.

Naruto who'd been tending the fire place laughed. "Are we awake?" He asked.

"We wish we weren't." Zakuro replied bitterly. Naruto offered her his hand, she took it and he helped her up.

"C'mon girl rise and shine." He grinned. Zakuro covered a large yawn with her hand. "Wow you look exhausted. Did you sleep at all?" Naruto asked as he picked up the blanket and folded it.

Zakuro brushed out her hair with her hands. "I can't even remember." However there was something she did remember. The music. It had seemed like a dream then and even more now.

"Are you hungry?" Naruto asked.

Zakuro shrugged. "A little." She was ravenous actually, having not eaten anything since breakfast yesterday. Naruto led her down the hallway toward the kitchen. Zakuro took a good look around, the floor was covered with a thick ornate rug, the walls paneled in ebony wood. It was dark and simple, she liked it.Zakuro chewed on her bottom lip, unsure of what to make of the music from last night. She could hear it perfectly in her head. Was it just a dream? It was so beautiful, it had seemed unreal. She decided to push it away. Still the feelings the music had stirred in her remained.

Reaching the kitchen, Zakuro was surprised. To say that the kitchen was large would've been an understatement. Two islands seven feet long and topped with marble sat in the middle of the room, four ovens covered the wall, and a refrigerator four feet wide stood like a giant. Naruto wnet right to one of the three stoves to heat up something.

"Are you, Sakura and your master the only people living here?" She asked him.

"Yep. Just us." Naruto replied. "Believe it or not this place used to be full of people. Parties and fancy balls were held every week. This ghost of a mansion used to be full of life."

Zakuro caught the saddness in his voice. She leaned against one of the islands, her fingers tracing circles on the cold stone. After that story she was now more aware of how empty this place really was.

"Here you go." Naruto placed a steaming hot bowl in front of her.

Zakuro raised an eyebrow. "Ramen?"

"Yeah." Naruto said hopefully. "My own recipe." He haned her a pair of chopsticks.

Digging in she took a few noodles. It was delicious, a subtle spicy taste brought a smile to her lips. "This is really good." She quickly took two huge bites. Naruto grinned triumphantly, before leaving her telling her he had chores to do. She didn't mind, she was accustomed to being alone. Sitll eating she wandered to a set of open doors onto a small terrace. "Oh wow." She breathed. The ground were a sight to behold. A small pond was nestled in the center, and surrounded by stout pine trees. A delicately carved brige went over the pond and led to a path into the woods, rosebushes were placed just so. "Beautiful." She whispered.

"I should hope so."

Zakuro turned to see the man from last night walk up the steps of the terrace.

"It took me qutie a few years to design it just right." He continued.

"You designed this." Zakuro immediately wished she hadn't sounded so surprised. "Well then," She turned away from him. "I guess I take back what I said."

He muttered something she couldn't hear. "Are you always like this?"

"Like what?" She turned to glare at him. She then noticed that his hair wasn't maroon like in the dark last night, but rather crimson red, almost like blood.

"I don't know. Irritating. Stubborn. Annoying." He spat the last word.

"Well if I'm so annoying," She said. "Why don't you just let me go home?"

He smiled cruely. "Nice try."

Angrilly she shoved the bowl at his chest and stormed onto the grounds. He watched her go with cold eyes. Zakuro walked to the far edge of the grounds and nearly fell into the ravine. Looking down she could see that she would surely die if she tried to get away through the ravine and she couldn't jump across either. She sighed. He really did have her trapped. Zakuro then turned to see a large iron gate set against the mansion wall. Walking over she pushed against the gate, it swung open.

Inside lay the largest garden Zakuro had ever seen. Every kind of flower you could imagine was there. She walked between them, unable to keep the smile off her face. Zakuro named every flower and herb as she passed it. Cosmos. Lilies. Iris. Mint. Sage. But then she came upon something she'd never seen before.

All over the ten foot wall that enclosed the garden were roses as black as midnight. They grew up the wall in a spiraling pattern, she could barely see the bricks beneath the flowers. Zakuro tenatively touched one of the roses, it seemed to slither as if it were alive. She pulled her hand back, startled. Still she bent forward to inhale it's sweet scent, like a normal rose but with something different. She then noticed the thin dagger-like thorns the length of her thumb on the vines.

"I'd be careful if i were you." He stood at the gate.

Suddenly one of the thorns lashed out and sliced Zakuro's left index finger. "Ow!" She cried and recoiled, watching blood bubble from the cut.

"I warned you." Suddenly he was beside her.

Zakuro looked from the gate to him. "How did you-?"

He cut her off. "Let me see your hand."

"No." She held her hand close to her body.

"Let me see your hand." He repeated, his eyes dareing her to defy him.

She did dare. "Why?" She demanded.

"Because those roses are extremely poisonous. And because I want the pleasure of taking your life and I won't let them do the job for me." His tone sent a shiver through her, still she didn't move. "Now!"

Zakuro reluctantly offered him her hand, her stomach twisting with the thought that she just wanted him to touch her again. He took her hand in his cold grip and turned it this way and that, looking at the cut from every angle. Then he put so much pressure on the cut that her blood flowed freely. Zakuro cried out and tried to pull away, it was useless. Still his eyes snapped to hers when she cried. "You'll be fine." He released her hand and her skin tingled from his touch. "Count your blessings it wasn't very deep. It needed a free blood flow to expell the poison."

"You could've told me that!" She yelled. She watched her blood fall in thick red drops from her hand.

"Here." He handed her a white handkerchief. She snatched it from him and wrapped it around finger, staining the white cloth red. "If those roses are so dangerous why do you keep them around?" She asked angrily.

"Sometimes beauty can be dangerous." He whispered, gazing at the roses. Turning back he looked her in the eyes and his were smoldering and once again Zakuro's breath caught in her chest.

His voice stirred someting in the pit of her stomach. When he turned to gaze at the roses again, Zakuro took in how handsome he was. His skin was pale as if he spent a lot of time indoors, his red hair fell in small waves that parted over his left eye. Those eyes were easily his best feature and again Zakuro fell under the spell they cast. She felt her heartbeat increase and her eyes drifted to his chest, he turned to look at her and she blushed bright red. Zakuro quicklt turned to look at the roses, avoiding his eyes.

"You never told me your name." He whispered.

Zakuro glanced at him and was startled by the look he was giving her. Her stomach twisted even more. She hardened her face. "You never asked." She snapped.

His eyes turned stoney. "Need I remind you of my short temper." He growled. "Don't test me."

Zakuro looked away and so did he with an irritated sigh. She glanced at him from out of the corner of her eye and heard herself say. "Zakuro." He turned to look at her and so did she to him. Their eyes locked. "Zakuro Fujiwara."

He glanced at the wisteria flowers at the far side of the garden. "Gaara." He whispered and their eyes locked again. "Just Gaara."

Zakuro frowned, she didn't feel like being polite. "So what, you won't tell me your family name?"

"I don't have any family." He stated.

"Oh," Zakuro biy her lip nervously. "Niether do I. I'm alone."

"No you're not." Gaara said.

"And how would you know?" She challenged.

He took a step toward her and his eyes flashed fire, making Zakuro flinch. "Because you have no idea what it means to be alone." He turned quickly to stare at the roses once again. "You can't even begin to comprehend the crushing feeling of real loneliness. To know that no one wants you around, that nothing could change that," He was talking more to himself now. "That you're completely alone and unloved." He put a hand to his head and cringed as if he had a headache. Zakuro felt pity stab at her heart. Seconds later his face turned severe like before and he said to her. "I'm sure you've plenty of friends back in your home."

Zakuro thought of Sasuke. "Well," She thought for a moment. "Sort of. He's not really my friend anymore." Her heart seemed to sob in her chest as she said this. "I don't know who he is anymore." She admitted more to herself than Gaara.

Gaara raised his lack of eyebrow at her. "He?"

Zakuro scowled at him. "Yes he happens to be a man. What is it to you?"

Gaara looked her over, his eyes lingering till she blushed. Turning away, he chuckled.

She was blushing from anger now. Zakuro stormed up to him and reared her right arm back, her palm open and aiming for his face. His hand shot out and caught her wrist. "Too slow." He smirked.

Gaara's half smile sent a thrill through her. Zakuro had to ball her hand into a fist to keep from touching his pale cheek. "I'm not just a pretty face." She spat.

"Prove me wrong then." He smirked once more and released her, noticing that she winced. That had been the same wrist he'd injured last night. He walked toward the gate. "You're headstrong and annoying I'll give you that." He said.

Zakuro who was cradling her wrist, said furiously. "And you're heartless and self-centered."

Gaara stopped and looked back at her, and smiled. He used the full force of those eyes on her again. Zakuro felt her heart do a full 360. He closed his eyes and instantly vanished before her eyes. Zakuro gasped. She looked behind her, he wasn't there. Running of the garden, Zakuro scanned the grounds. He was nowhere to be seen. Then a now familiar light chuckle reached her ears, she looked up. Gaara stood on a balcony high above her head, laughing at his own private joke. That half smile was back and his arms were folded casually across his chest.

Zakuro looked from the garden gate where he'd last been standing to him and back again. "What are you?" She whispered so softly that she could barely hear herself. He did heard though and just stared at her. Zakuro gave him a determined face. "I will find out what you are. Count on that."

"Many others have tried," Gaara said coldly. "But none have lived to tell about it."

Zakuro shivered again as he turned from her and walked into the mansion. She only then noticed how cold it was, she rubbed her arms for warmth. While walking back to the mansion doors, she chewed on her lip untill it bled. As the bitter metallic taste filled her mouth she decied that Gaara was the Demon of the woods from her village legends. But it didn't make sense. First Gaara couldn't be more than seventeen and those stories were hundreds of years old. Second he didn't fit any of the decriptions. He wasn't corpse like, he was handsome. But what about the music from last night? Zakuro wracked her brain for an explanation but none came. Her stomach muscles tightened and she blushed again. "Enough," She thought. "I'm not gonna let him get to me." Nevertheless she couldn't ignore the feelings his touch and smile had sparked in her.

Back in the village that same morning Sasuke had gone to Zakuro's house to apologize. "Zakuro!" Sasuke knocked on the door. "Hey c'mon don't be like this. I'm sorry about last night. It was wrong of me to do what I did." He knocked again. "Zakuro!"

"She's not home."

Sasuke turned around to see Shikamaru standing at the road, his hand in his pockets. "What do you mean?" Sasuke demanded.

Shikamaru looked skeptical. "What do you mean what do I mean? She isn't home. she took my lantern last night and went into the woods. I kept an eye out for her last night but she hasn't been back."

"What!" Sasuke exclaimed. His face contorted in fury. "How can you be so calm?!" He shouted.

Shikamaru just shrugged. "I know Zakuro. She's a tough girl, she can watch out for herself."

"It doesn't matter how tough she is!" Sasuke shouted furiously. "She can still fal prey to the Demon!"

"That's only a legend, Sasuke." Shikamaru said. Sasuke took off running. "Hey!" Shikamaru called after him. "Where are you going now?!"

"To round up the guys!" Sasuke called back. "We have to find Zakuro before she gets killed!" Sasuke pulled out Zakuro's hair ribbon from last night. He brought it to his face and breathed in its sweet scent, cherry blossom. Sasuke's face was set hard. He'd already lost one loved one to the Demon, he wouldn't lose another.


	4. Chapter 4 Questions and Rescues?

Back at the mansion snow was just beginning to fall as Zakuro made her way across the frounds. In the kitchen Sakura was carrying a pile of clothes. She stumbled and half the pile fell to the floor, groaning she dropped the rest. Zakuro smiled empathectically, she knew that look far too well. Bad day. She walked over and said. "Here let me help you." She gathered up the clothes.

Sakura raked her hands through her hair. "It's not your burden to bear." She said sullenly.

"So what." Zakuro shrugged. "Everyone needs help once in a while."

After a moment Sakura smiled too. "Thanks. Naruto and I get run ragged trying to keep this place going."

Zakuro and Sakura spent the next couple of hours doing the laundry and talking. Sakura told Zakuro about how her family had been serving Gaara's for generations. She told of the grand parties that used to be held here, of her likes and dislikes and other things. Zakuro listened intently, eager to make a new friend.

When Sakura asked about her, Zakuro shared her life. She talked about her village, her father, and things she liked or didn't like. She saw Sakura's green eyes brighten when she described Sasuke. Zakuro just rolled her eyes and shook her head. After recounting how she was an orphan, Sakura smiled and nodded. "Yeah." She said. "Out of our families Naruto and I are the only ones left." She said sadly.

"Wait," Zakuro said. "That would mean that contract you mentioned would end with you two, right." She paused before giving Sakura a suggestive look. "Unless..."

Sakura made a disgusted face. "Oh no way!!" She exclaimed. She covered her mouth with her hand and made gagging sounds. "Not ever!!"

"It was just a suggestion." Zakuro shrugged grinning. "I mean Naruto's kinda cute, right?"

"I suppose." Sakura blushed a little. "If you like obnoxious loudmouths." She quickly added. The two girls laughed. Sakura seized this opportunity to change the subject. She felt a twinge, she was using Zakuro and she didn't like it. Zakuro was the type of girl that Sakura could be close friends with. Nevertheless Sakura promted Zakuro with questions about Gaara. Zakuro was startled but answered anyway. She went on about how he aggrivated and enraged her, mentioning more than once how heartless he was. Sakura met up with Naruto after the laundry was finished to discuss how their sutble plan to break the curse was going.

"Well?" Naruto asked. "What did she say?"

"Either she dispises him," Sakura replied. " Or she's a very good actress." The two servants sighed.

"Well I'm not giving up that easily." Naruto said with a grin.

"Hold on." Sakura said. "Maybe we shouldn't do this."

Naruto scowled at her. "You want to stay locked in this place all your life? 'Cause I don't."

"I don't either. But we shouldn't try to force this on Zakuro. I like her."

Naruto shrugged. "Well so do I." He smiled wickedly. "And it's not being forced it's just a nudge in a peticular direction." Sakura just shook her head. "C'mon Sakura you said so yourself the master likes her right. So that's a start we just have to help it a long."

Sakura nodded. "She was blushing a lot when I asked her about him. She tried to hide it but I saw. That's a sure clue that she feels something for him."

"Alright then." Naruto held out his hand. "So we're still in this together?"

Sakura gave him a high five. "Always have been." They slapped hands twice and ended with thouching their knuckles together. "Always will be." Naruto answered. They laughed and went their separate ways. They had had that handshake since they were children working together.

Naruto offered to have Zakuro accompany him while he dusted the library. Zakuro's eyes lit up and she jumped on the chance to be surrounded by books. She's always loved books and since she was born her father had read to her everynight. She used to bury herself in books, learning more than was normal for women in her village. It was why many of the other women in her village looked down upon her, but Zakuro had never cared for their opinions. She was just being herself. Again Zakuro was amazed. The library was two floors, one large on the ground and the other smaller and up a flight of spiraling stairs. The shelves were ten feet high and ahd books on every subject imaginable. Tables and comfy arm-chairs were placed around the room and an enormous window looked out onto the grounds where snow was falling heavily. Naruto chatted non-stop while he worked. Zakuro couldn't imagine how one person was going to dust all of this room. She then noticed how he was obviously shirking a "well done" job for an "ok I did it" job. She giggled. Naruto went on about himself, Sakura, his past and the mansion's past. He made a lot of jokes and Zakuro found herself laughing more than she had in months. Zakuro looked through the shelves, searching for the perfect book. She found it and smiled. Taking it from the shelf she traced the title with her finger.

Naruto pushed aside the books from the other side of the shelf. He placed his chin on the shelf and grinned at her. "What 'cha doing?" He asked in a childish tone.

"Looking for a book." Zakuro played along in the same tone.

He continued in the same voice. "Did you find one?"

"Yes." She giggled. He was such a goof, Zakuro liked the way he made her laugh. She walked to the end of the shelf and met Naruto on the other side. He was at the top of a ladder now dusting the top of the shelf.

He glanced down at her. "You can borrow that book if you want." He said.

"Your master won't mind?" Not that she cared much.

"Nah," Naruto waved a hand. "He never comes in here. At least I never see him." He caught Zakuro's questioning look. "We told you before he's like a ghost. He's here but he's not."

Zakuro thought for a moment. What if Gaara **was** a ghost? She shook her head. No. He was human enough, but that vanishing act he'd pulled earlier was definately not human.

Naruto slid down the ladder and landed at her feet, startling her. "So what did you find?" He asked. Zakuro held the book out to him. "The Phantom Of The Opera by Gaston Leroux." He read. "Is it good?"

"It's my favorite." Zakuro held it close to her chest. "Dareing romance, jealousy, murder and music. I love it."

Naruto's blue eyes sparked with an idea and he smiled. "So you like music?" He said. Zakuro nodded. He was about to say something else when he glanced at the clock on the wall. "Oh shoot I've got to get moving. I'm not gonna get my chores done today." He quickly bid Zakuro goodbye and took off.

Zakuro decided to explore a little bit. She wandered through the first floor, going through a small study and a huge ball room. The second flor proved to be a labyrinth of passages. She got lost twice but managed to find her way back to the stairs. She kept wandering till she came upon the doors which Gaara had disappeared behind the night before. Zakuro remembered his warning, but disregarded it. There could well be some clues to the mystery that was him inside and she wasn't going to let any clue go unfound. Besides this place was huge maybe he wasn't even in there. She took a deep breath and turned the doorknob.

Peering inside she didn't see or hear him. She stepped inside and closed the door behind her and was shocked by the state of this room. Dust was everywhere and cobwebs hung in the corners of the room, her shoes crunched over shards of glass and the rugs and walls were splattered with what to Zakuro's dismay she identified as dried blood. Her shoe traced over a torn up photograph on the floor, reaching down she pieced it together. It revealed a young man with sandy hair and a little red headed boy with large blue eyes, Gaara. This picture looked at least a hundred years old, the color faded and it felt just as grainy as it looked. It couldn't be that old. Could it? Zakuro shook her head. She recalled all the pain in his eyes earlier and how he spoke about being alone. But he wasn't alone in this photo and he looked so happy. Zakuro stood a little more confused than before and spotted the organ against the back wall. She remembered the music from last night. Maybe she hadn't dreamt it, maybe Gaara had played it. She recalled the copy of "Don Juan" which he said he'd written. Turning she saw one of those black roses, on a small table in the middle of the room. She walked over to it and placed a hand on the glass case that covered it. The rose looked sickly, bent over at a strange angle and Zakuro gasped softly as one of its petals silently fell.

"What are you doing in here?"

Gasping again she whipped around to see Gaara standing in the doorway of a balcony, thick snowflakes clinging to his hair. He had taken off his dark jacket and stood before her in his white shirt and red vest. His shirt was unbuttoned slightly, Zakuro's eyes drifted to his chest and her face turned hot. "I... I was just-" She stammered.

"Didn't I tell you to stay away from here?" The soft rage in his voice frightened her more than if he'd shouted at her. Gaara took a halting step toward her. "Well?" He said ominously. Zakuro made the mistake of looking into his eyes, his gaze cut her like a knife.

She took a trembling step backward. "I...I'm..s..sorry." Zakuro glanced at the rose. "What's wrong with that rose?" Her voice was barely a whisper and she couldn't stop trembling. "It's dying."

"That's none of your business. Now get out." Zakuro tried to say something else but his eyes silenced her. "Get out." He repeated.

Still shaking Zakuro fled from the room and didn't stop till she reached the door. She desperately wanted to escape and to her surprise the door was open again. Grabbing her cloak from the living room she ran outside, without a glance behind her. The snow was still falling in large flakes and she was immediately chilled to the bone. Up on the balcony of his room Gaara watched her go, leaning against the stone wall with his arms folded. He sighed heavily and turned away when something caught his eye. A pack of wolves in the woods were heading right for Zakuro.

Zakuro ran through the woods as fast as she could, wishing for nothing but the comfort of her bed. Where she would wake and this would all have been a dream. She would tell Sasuke about it and he would laugh, telling her she had the craziest imagination and she would giggle right along in agreement. Home. She felt a bit of remorse at leaving Naruto and Sakura behind, she liked them. Soon Zakuro had to stop and catch her breath. Resting her hands on her knees she watched her breath rise in white puffs before disappearing, each breath of cold air stung her lungs and she coughed. Suddenly she heard a rustle behind her and then a twig snapped breaking the silence of the forest. She looked around and listened, nothing but her heavy breathing could be heard. It must've been her imagination kicked into high gear because of her fear. She continued on at a walk, hoping she was going the right direction, everything had looked different in the dark last night. However the forest seemed even prettier now with a light dusting of snow. Zakuro would have enjoyed it more if she weren't still trembling, her instincts telling her something was wrong. She heard another rustle behind her, turning she gasped as a large white wolf emerged from behind the trees. The wolf gazed at her with wise dark eyes and Zakuro noted how noble it looked, beautiful. Now six more wolves emerged and surrounded her in a half circle, she took a few trembling steps back and nearly fell into the ravine. She looked down into the thirty foot drop. She hadn't noticed how close she'd gotten to the edge. Her mouth went dry as the white wolf growled at her and she noticed the dried blood on its maw. Zakuro suddenly remembered that she kept a few weapons in her cloak. She slowly reached inside and grasped three senbon in her hand and as a small gray wolf growled loudly at her, she threw the needles. One struck the wolf in the throat, another in the chest, and the third in its hind leg, the wolf dropped down dead. The white one sniffed at the gray one and realized it was dead. It turned to Zakuro and growled fiercely, bareing its fangs at her. Reaching into her cloak again she found that she didn't have anymore senbon. "Okay don't panic." She thought. The other wolves started moving toward her, but the white one growled at them as if to say "she's mine" and the others backed off. The white one sauntered toward her it fur bristling and growling deep in its throat. Then bending low it showed all its teeth which could easily tear her to pieces. Zakuro stood her ground, ready to fight her way out of this. Finally the wolf leapt at her, its dagger like fangs aiming for her neck.

Suddenly Gaara appeared in front of her. His upheld arm caught the wolf in mid-leap and swinging hard, the wolf landed a few feet away in a heap. The wolf got back on its feet and roared at Gaara. Zakuro flinched but Gaara was unmoved. He stared all the wolves down and they seemed frightened of what they saw in his eyes. Quickly they all scattered, heading back into the woods. The white one was reluctant to leave the gray one behind, it gazed at it for a long moment before following the others. "That wasn't very smart you know." Gaara said condesendingly to her.

Zakuro's temper flared. "Don't talk to like I'm a child!" She snapped. "I'll make my own decisions. I didn't need your help. I would have been fine."

"No." He sadi you would've been torn to shreds by the wolves or the ravine."

"I would've fought my way out." She insisted.

"And that wolf would have killed you even if it killed him." He stepped toward where the gray wolf lay dead the snow was stained red with blood. "he was the vengeful type."

Zakuro was confused. "What do you mean?" She asked.

"You killed his mate." Gaara stated.

"Oh." Zakuro understood now. Only when the gray one had fallen by her hand had the white wolf attacked her and how it had looked at the gray one before fleeing.

"And don't say you're sorry," Gaara added. "Because it won't bring her back." He removed the senbon and started stroaking the wolf's thick gray fur.

Zakuro's eyes filled with tears and she bit her lip again. "I am sorry though. I...I didn't know." She whispered.

"Well now you do." He said simply. "And it's too late."

Zakuro thought about how he'd frightened her between now and last night. All the cruel things he'd said to her. She cried even harder now from anger. "You didn't have to play a hero and rescue me!" She shouted. "I don't need your help! I don't need anyone! I can take care of myself!" She broke off, giving way to a sob.

"Trust me," He yelled back. "You do need other people in your life! People to care and comfort you when you need it the most! No one can make it on their own!"

Zakuro sobbed again watching Gaara mourn the wolf made her cry harder. His words filled her head and she cried for all the pain she had seen in his eyes earlier. "I'm sorry I snapped at you." She whispered. "I was taking a lot out on you that I shouldn't have. Thank you for saving me."

Gaara stood and faced her, his eyes soft again. "You're welcome."

She then noticed the blood stain on his shirt sleeve. "You're bleeding." Zakuro said. The wolf must've caught his forearm and he was bleeding badly.

Gaara looked at it as if feeling it just now. He just shrugged." It's no big deal."

"No big deal?" She repeated looking pointedly at the blood driping off his hand and making red dots in the snow. "You'd better let me help you." She took his other hand, his touch seemed even colder now. Together they started walking back to the mansion.

"I don't need your help." He mocked, a slight smile on his face.

"Shut up."

the sun was already setting as they walked back and by the time they reached the bridge it was pitch dark out. Zakuro ran a pan of water she'd found in the kitchen till it was hot and after grabbing a dish towel and some bandages from a bathroom she went to the living room. She sat down in front of the fire and looked back at Gaara. He rolled up the sleeve of his shirt to the shoulder and sat down beside her. Zakuro took in the contors of his bare arm. From farther away she thought he was thin, but actually that "thin" was all lean muscle. She felt her face warm with a blush that she prayed he wouldn't notice. "Well.." He said breaking her revierie."

"Well what?" She snapped. Picking up the towel she submerged in the hot water and took his cold hand. The wound had already stopped bleeding, but the trails of blood down his arm were still there. Zakuro started washing the blood from Gaara's hand.

"You know I really don't need your help with this." He said

Zakuro scowled at him. "Just be quiet and hold still. You made me feel bad now because you got hurt saving me and I owe you some form of apology for going into your room. So consider this making up for it."

He shrugged one shoulder. "Fair enough."

Zakuro finished cleaning the blood from his hand and wrist. The wolf had caught his forearm, but the wound didn't look that bad. She rinsed the towel and was about to clean the wound but Gaara fliched and drew away. "I haven't even touched you." She said. He looked away from her and folded his arms, wincing. Zakuro smiled. "Well well Mr. Big-shot is a big wimp." She teased.

"Shut up." He mumbled. "I just don't handle pain well."

"Well cry me a river you big baby," She took his hand again. "Now hold still." To her surprise he actually listened and didn't object. Zakuro went right to washing the wound, Gaara gave a sharp intake of breath, gritting his teeth he clenched his hand around hers tight enough to break bones. He immediately loosened his grip when she glared at him. "If this is hurting you so bad now why didn't you react at all when the wolf actually bit you?" She asked.

He watched her, cringing in pain. "In the heat of a battle you can't stop because you're injured." He said.

Zakuro nodded. "You know you're very lucky that wolf wasn't rabid."

Gaara chuckled and looked away. "Yeah," He shook his head. "That would be the worst of your worries."

"What do you mean by that?" He didn't answer her. "Great," She thought. "Another piece to this puzzle." She finished cleaning his wound and inpected it closer, it wasn't very deep. Zakuro picked up the bandages and wrapped it around his arm.

"Am I going to live?" Gaara asked with a teasing smile.

Zakuro rolled her eyes and tied the bandage. "You're going to be fine." She said. "Melodramatic." She muttered. Gaara gritted his teeth again as she tied the bandage tightly. Then Zakuro laid her hand on his arm gently. "There." She said. She looked up with a smile and their eyes met again. His eyes reflected the fire's light and had taken on that strange softness again, and once again Zakuro was mesmerized. Gaara stood up and Zakuro did too after gathering up the pan and towel. She put the things away and walked back into the living room.

Gaara stopped staring at the fire to see Zakuro stifle a yawn and pick up the blanket from the couch. "That won't be necessary." He said.

"What do you-," Zakuro broke off with another yawn. "Mean?"

"Follow me and I'll show you to your room."

She raised an eyebrow. "My room?"

"If you want to stay in the living room be my guest." He said. "Or maybe I'll just put you in the cellar where you can keep the spiders company."

"I'll follow you." She replied.

Gaara smirked. "I thought so." He led her up the stairs and down a hall opposite the direction of his room. He stopped in front of one of the numerous doors.

"I'll never be able to find it again." Zakuro looked around trying to memorize the look of this hall and how she could get back to the stairs from here.

"Sakura and Naruto will help you." Gaara said. He shifted from one foot to the other and didn't look at her.

Zakuro noted how odd he was acting all of a sudden. She just shrugged and sighed. "Well, thank you for this." She gestured to the door. "And for saving me." She pouted and added sourly. "Even if I didn't need it."

Gaara chuckled and shook his head. "You're ridiculous."

"So are you." She repiled. Gaara just stared at her. "Well goodnight Gaara." Zakuro felt a pleasant shiver travel down her back as she said his name. She placed a hand on the door knob and it was immediately covered by his. Zakuro turned to him just as his cold lips met her forehead. Her heart skipped a beat as his lips brushed across her forehead and softly traced their way to her ear. He was so close to her that Zakuro could feel the sheer cold radiating from his body, he smelled like the woods and those black roses.

"Sweet dreams Zakuro." Gaara whispered in her ear, his cold breath made her skin break out in goosebumps. He placed something in her hands. "Let me know if you hear the Angel of music tonight." Without another word he disappeared down the hall.

Zakuro watched the spot where he'd last been for a long moment, her face was warm and her heart thudded in her chest. She looked at what Gaara had handed her. It was the copy of The Phantom Of The Opera, she had dropped it earlier in his room when he had frightened her. She held it close and smiled. Walking into the room, she found it to be decorated like the rest of the mansion. Dark walls and thick rugs in deep reds and black, a fire place against the back wall and a canopied bad in the middle of the room. Zakuro set the book down on the bed an opened one of the doors off the rrom revealing a bathroom in marble and white tile. She picked up an orange bottle on the side of the large tub, it was peach bubble bath. Turning the faucets ahe poured in the orange liquid as hot water rushed into the tub. Zakuro took off her red dress and kicked it aside, damning modesty and wishing she could just wear pants instead. She stepped into the steaming water and slid under so just her nose was barely above the bubbles. Breathing in the rich scent of peaches she let the water relax her tired muscles. Finally Zakuro dianed the tub and dried off with one of the thick towels hanging on the wall. She wrapped it around her slim frame and after finding a comb on the sink counter, combed the knots from her hair. She then picked up her dress and sighed. It was the same dress she'd worn yesterday, the hem was torn from walking in the forest and it was stained. Walking back into the bedroom Zakuro set the dress in the red velvet chair in the corner and eyed the large dresser beside the bed. She opened it and wasn't surprised to find it full of dresses, blouses andeven pants all in her size. In the drawers beneath she found stockings, socks, nightgowns, and underwear. Moving to the door next to the dresser she revealed a closet stocked with cloaks, jackets, suits, shoes, along with gloves, scarves, and boots. Zakuro went back to the dresser and chose a pair of black pants and a wide sleeved white blouse. Donning her new outfit she went to admire it in the full length mirror in the bathroom. She grinned glad to be free of that irritating dress. It was unheard of in her village for women to wear pants and Zakuro wished that she could strut through the village and hear others whisper about her behind their hands so she could laugh. She playfully mussed her long dirty-blond hairand gave herself a devious look. She looked wild, like a Joan of Arc figure she'd only read about in books. Laughing she took up The Phantom Of The Opera and sat in bed. Within minutes Zakuro was lost in Gaston Leroux's thrilling tale of the tortured musical genius who once haunted the Paris opera house.


	5. Chapter 5 Angel's Voice and a Nightmare

Hours later Zakuro woke to the same music from last night. She had fallen asleep reading, the book lying on her chest. The clock on the bedside table read two o'clock, obviously morning. Once again Zakuro breathed in that unearthly beautiful music fill her soul. And once again she let her tears fall where they may. She smiled when the music came to an end with a soft melancholy note. Zakuro yawned and looked to see that she had fallen asleep at the end of the chapter entitled Apollo's Lyre in which Christine retells her abdution by Erik and Raoul and Christine declare their love for each other. Her favorite chapter.

Then her stomach pinced in hunger, closing the book she left the room. She headed for the kitchen, her bare feet padding silently on the thick rugs. The small lamps set on the walls cast a dim light throughout the hall. Others might have wished for more light but Zakuro's eyes had always been well adjusted to the dark. She'd often been told that her eyes looked different in dim light, the pupils dialated to a startling extent, almost like a cat's. Inside the kitchen the room glowed with a faint blue light from the moon outside. Zakuro found a green apple inside the fridge. Biting into the crisp fruit a pleasantly tart taste filled her mouth. Apples were one of her favorite snacks. She walked back toward the stairs idly munching the apple and thought about Gaara's kiss. The touch of his cold lips on her skin had made her stomach dissolve into that buoyant butterfly feeling and even now at the thought of it those butterflies were back. Zakuro let out a little giggle and couldn't remember a time she'd felt this happy. At first the song started as a whisper but slowly gained strength.

"No more talk of darkness,  
Forget these wide-eyed fears  
I'm here, nothing can harm you  
my words will warm and calm you  
Let me be your freedom,  
let daylight dry your tears.  
I'm here with you, beside you,  
to guard you and to guide you..."

Zakuro sang her favorite song from The Phantom Of The Opera like she never had before, the lyrics spilling from her lips. And just like before when she'd sing the world seemed to fall away. Nothing mattered but the song.

"Say you love me every waking moment,  
turn my head with talk of summertime...  
Say you need me with you now and always...  
Promise me that all you say is true  
that's all I ask of you"

Inside his room Gaara's hand froze over the organ keys. A voice more beautiful than he'd ever heard before reached his ears. He looked over his shoulder toward the door. "Zakuro?" He whispered. He followed the sound to the landing of the stairs and looked down into the foyer. There was Zakuro, singing and looking even more beautiful in the partial moonlight cast through the windows. Gaara's hand slowly moved to his chest, where that strange aching in his heart had started again.Naruto and Sakura had heard the singing too. They quietly snuck from where they had been talking to the foyer. Careful not to be seen they peered around a corner to see Zakuro singing. They could barely believe waht they were hearing. Naruto's eyes wandered to the landing where he beheld his master. He nudged Sakura. "Check it out." He whispered and motioned with his eyes toward Gaara.They both took in the unreadable look on his face and how he was gazing at Zakuro. The two smiled at each other, knowing that something was there that definately wasn't there before. Especially after earlier. They had been listening outside the living room while Zakuro had helped Gaara with a wound. He'd saved her life and he'd never cared for anyone else before. Zakuro's song came to an end with a series of high forte notes.

"Anywhere you go let me go too  
Love me - that's all I ask of you..."

She hit every note perfectly, slowly developing into a decrescendo. As quickly as the three watching her had appeared they vanished, Gaara much more quickly than the servants. Zakuro hadn't even noticed them because she'd been lost in the song. After her song had finished it seemed so quiet, not an uncomfortable quiet but rather a peaceful one. As she walked back to her room Zakuro couldn't believe it. She had sang again and ow after all these years she remembered why she loved it so much. When she reached the door and went to open it, she paused. The music had started again, like an answer to her song, her voice. Zakuro listened for a while, the music seemed even more beautiful now, the sense of longing in the sound intensified. Her thoughts turned to Gaara and she bit her lip again. If he was palying this why the tragic sound? Zakuro gazed at the apple as she sat on the bed, the white flesh was beginning to turn brown from the air. Taking another bite she decided to ask Gaara some of the questions that filled her mind. After she finished the apple, Zakuro crawled into bed and drew the covers close around her. Within minutes the haunting melody that filled the air lulled her to sleep again. Then she dreamed of Gaara. Zakuro stood in nothing-ness. Everything dark except the circle of light where she stood. "Zakuro." She watched as Gaara stepped from the shadows into the light. His eyes looked hungry and he smiled in such a way that she felt heat bubble in her stomach and work its way to her face. Zakuro started to say something but he cut her off by pressing his frozen lips against hers. His cold hand held her face and she shuddered in his grasp. Gaara's mouth pressed hard against hers and Zakuro's breath caught. She'd never been kissed before. Suddenly a flash flew past them and Gaara pulled back, his face contorted in pain, his hand flying to his shoulder. Zakuro gasped when she saw the blood on his hand. Gaara stepped away from her. The sound of footsteps reached her ears and she turned to see someone else step into the light. This someone had jet black hair and eyes black as pitch. "Sasuke?" Zakuro cried. Sasuke didn't even look at her, he was too busy glaring at Gaara who glared right back. Sasuke lifted his hands and Zakuro saw that he had three shuriken in each. Sasuke threw the weapons and the bladed stars were aimed right at Gaara. At the last second Gaara vanished and reappeared in front of Sasuke, startling him. He grasped Sasuke by his neck and lifted him a foot off the ground. Zakuro watched in horror as Sasuke gasped for air and clawed at the hand that held him. Then she saw something that made her feel sick. A malevolent smile spread across Gaara's face. He was killing Sasuke and he was enjoying it. Sasuke's face paled. "No!" Zakuro screamed, grabbing Gaara's arm.Zakuro woke with a start, panting and covered in a cold sweat. She raked a hand through her already mussed hair and hugged her knees. Her frienship with Sasuke seemed like a distant memory. Was she really forgetting her old life so easily? Wait her old life? Was this her life now? Zakuro felt tears slide down her cheeks. She missed Sasuke, she needed to hear his voice and see his cocky smile. Her thoughts turned to that frightening smile on Gaara's face. How could he enjoy taking someone else's life? She laid back down and fell into an uneasy sleep.


	6. Chapter 6 Tortured Past

Hours later Zakuro woke, yawning she turned to see that the clock on the bedside table read 9 o'clock. She threw back the covers and sitting on the edge of the bed, rubbed her eyes. With a shock she remembered her dream last night and shivered. She walked to the window and opened the curtains, squinting as her eyes adjusted to the bright light. Zakuro took in the beautiful view of the grounds. Then she grinned and bolted from the window, all her worries about her dream gone. (for now) Running to the closet she pulled on a heavy cloak, a scarf, gloves and nearly fell pulling on a pair of boots. She hurried down the stairs and startled Naruto and Sakura when she ran through the kitchen. Finally she stopped on the terrace still smiling.

At least a foot of snow blanketed the grounds surrounding the mansion. The pond was covered with a thin sheet of ice and everyhting sparkled in the sunlight. Walking off the terrace Zakuro scooped up a handful of snow and threw it in the air. She twirled around and giggled as if she were a child again. Still giggling she fell back into the thick snow and made a snow angel.

"Having fun?"

Zakuro opened her eyes and smiled at Gaara. He was laening over her smiling that half-smile that made her melt inside. "I was until you got here." She teased.

Gaara rolled his eyes. "Ha ha you're very funny." Zakuro laughed and went back to her snow angel. When she finished Gaara offered her his hand, she took it in her own gloved one and he pulled her to her feet. He spun her around playfully. "Nice outfit." He said.

"Huh?" Zakuro was confused for a moment, probably brought on by his cool hand in hers. She looked to see that she was still wearing the black pants and blouse. "Oh." She blushed bright red, she hadn't intended for him to see her in this. She drew the cloak close around her.

Gaara took her other hand and let the cloak open up. "I mean it. It looks lovely on you." He glanced at her for a brief moment before looking back in her eyes.

Zakuro blushed again. "Thank you." She said sheepishly and started chewing on her lip again.

"You know you do that and awful lot."

"Hm?" At first Zakuro thought he meant her blushing but then she realized he was refering to her biting her lip. "Nervous habit." She chuckled.

Gaara smiled and shook his head and Zakuro smiled back. Noticing that they were still holding hands he slid his from her grasp and cleared his throat, running a hand through his tousled red hair. "Is he nervous around me too?" She thought, giggling on the inside. His attention wasn't on her now and she grinned picking up another handful of snow. Suddenly Gaara felt something cold and wet hit the back of his head. He put a hand there, feeling the snow caught in his hair. Turning he saw Zakuro idly kicking the snow trying to be nonchalant. She looked up at him.

"What?" She said, looking at the snow in his hair. "I didn't do it." She tried not to smile but failed.

Gaara bent over and made a snowball. He stood and smiled devilishly at her.

"Don't you dare." Zakuro said. He threw the snowball, she flinched and it caught her in the arm. "You jerk!." She yelled laughing. Then they started a full blown war. They threw snowball after snowball laughing as they did. Zakuro took shelter behind one of the small pine trees but Gaara pulled his vanishing trick and reappeared behind her. "Hey that's cheating!" She cried after dodging another snowball.

"No one said there were any rules." Gaara smiled as Zakuro lobbed another snowball at him but he vanished again. She turned and saw him smiling smugly at her. Then Gaara got hit in the back by another snowball. He and Zakuro looked to see Naruto and Sakura standing near the terrace dressed in snow clothes. Naruto was laughing and pointing at Gaara with Sakura cringing beside him. His laughter quickly died as he caught Gaara's cruel stare. Naruto chuckled uncomfortably before a snowball cught him in the side of his face and knocked him to the ground. Zakuro, who had thrown the snowball laughed. Gaara smiled too.

Sakura giggled. "You got nailed." She grinned down at Naruto.

Naruto brushed the snow from his hair and face, scowling. Then he grinned and grabbed Sakura's hand, pulling her down into the snow next to him. Laughing he threw a handful of snow in her face. The two struggled to their feet while facing and onslaught of snow from Zakuro and Gaara. The war went on with Gaara disappearing and reappearing throughout, obviously winning. The other three even teamed up and missed nearly every shot.

Finally Zakuro sat on the terrace steps, panting and still giggling. Gaara sat down beside her and sighed. Zakuro smiled. "I still say that vanishing act of yours is cheating."

Gaara chuckled that soft, whispy chuckle. "There weren't any rules." He reminded her. "And besides all the shots that did hit proved that you've got a pretty good arm."

"Thanks." She smiled and he returned it with one of his own. They sat in silence for a while, Zakuro's body all too aware of his closeness. Gaara was quiet and she liked that. He didn't feel the need to fill every second with talk. She looked to the far end of the grounds and stood brushing the snow from her cloak. Then she started walking toward the garden. Gaara fell into step beside her and Zakuro noticed that he was wearing a simple suit. (Apparently he had a taste for black.) She had picked the heaviest cloak she could find and she was still shivering. (His cold body temperature must keep him from getting cold.)

Upon reaching the garden she found the gate open and another smile spread across her face. The garden was just as gorgeous as she remembered but now all of the flowers were a dazzling contrast with the snow that surrounded them. They were bright and vivid, a show of life from beneath the snow. Zakuro looked questioningly at Gaara, knowing that these flowers should be dead.

He seemed to read her mind. "I like to keep them alive all the time." He said.

Zakuro went ahead and looked at all of the flowers in turn. Each of their scents seemed fresher in the cold snowy air. The black roses were an incredible sight with snow clinging to them and the vines. She inhaled their sweet scent again this time wary of the thorns, that cut on her finger was starting to scar.

"I've always loved it here." Zakuro looked up from an orange lily. Gaara was stareing at the wall of black roses. At first she thought he was talking to himself. "Ever since I was a child." He continued. "When I need time to think I like to come here. It's peaceful. My uncle used to bring me here when I was young. He taught me about everything in this garden."

"Your uncle?" Zakuro stepped closer to him. Gaara nodded. "My mother's younger brother. I was very close to him." He sounded remorseful. "When I had no one else to turn to he was always there for me."

Zakuro thought of her father. "What about your mother?" She asked.

He looked at her, his eyes cold again. "She died bringing me into the world."

Zakuro's face fell. She felt sick. She'd lost her mother the same way, she had no family left. She recognized the pain in his eyes now, for she had seen it in her own from time to time. Loneliness.

Gaara turned back to the roses. "My uncle, Yashamaru told me a lot about her. He told me that she was the kindest woman in the world. There was never another like her. She planted this garden herself." He glanced at Zakuro. "She gave me my name you know. And she was so happy she was having me. Ironic isn't it." He said coldly. "My father was never around," His voice gained a harsh edge to it. "But I never cared. He rarely ever talked to me and when he did it was just to state his utter disappointment in me. I would never be the son he wanted. Yashamaru raised me. Yashamaru was the only one who ever really... loved me." Gaara's voice broke when he said "loved". "And then it happened."

"What?" Zakuro had been hanging on his every word. But now she had a sinking feeling about his answer. "What happened?"

Gaara took a deep breath and slowly let it out. His hand cleched into fists, so tight his knuckles turned white. Zakuro wouldn't be surprised if his palms started to bleed from his fingernails. He closed his eyes and his lids were as black as the circles around them. Rage filled the air around him. "When I was six years old, my uncle comitted suicide in an attempted homicide against me."

Zakuro felt like someone had kicked her in the stomach. Breathless she could only manage to mouth "What?".

"Yashamaru loved his sister dearly and when she died it was too much for him to bear." He continued. "It left a wound in his heart that would never heal. He blamed me for her death, but believed that he should love me the way he loved her because I was all that was left of her. He couldn't. Yashamaru used over fifty paper bombs to kill himself and me after he told me that he'd always hated me for taking his sister form him. I survived but I was really dead." Gaara gritted his teeth and said. " Everything I had believed was a lie. My life was a lie. I had no one, I was completely alone. I had no reason to be alive." Gaara put a hand to his head like he had a headache. Just like yesterday moring.

Tears streamed down Zakuro's face and before she was aware that she'd moved wrapped her arms around Gaara and pressed her face to his back. She felt his breath catch, but she didn't let go. Gaara slowly placed his hand over hers where they rested on his chest. Her tears practically froze on her face from the cold coming off his body. "It wasn't your fault." Her voice shook with sobs. "No one could be blamed for your mother's death. No one desverves to be treated that way. No one deserves to be alone." She cried silently now, unaware that Gaara's eyes had turned soft again and his heart had begun aching again. He turned to face her. Zakuro quickly dropped her arms and stepped back. "I'm sorry." She said worried that he was upset with her.

Gaara took her face in his icy hands and wiped away her tears. Zakuro thought about her dream last night again. However when his gaze held hers it was instantly forgotten again. " Don't be." He whispered.

Author's Note: Hi. I just read my first review and had to repost this. I've been so busy I'm going crazy! :( Anyway, yes I know there are spelling mistakes. I don't have Word on my computer so there's no spell check. I hope you get what I'm trying to say when there are mistakes. According to scientists you are able to read anything if the first and last letters are in the rhgit pacle. (could you read that?) :) So that's that. Thanks for reading.


	7. Chapter 7 Music Of The Night

Zakuro's heart went crazy and her breathing lost its rhythm. Gaara's touch seemed even colder against the blush on her cheeks. His blue eyes entranced her again with all the pain they held, slowly that pain vanished. It seemed to retreat back into the dark places in his soul. He certainly knew how to hide it well. Zakuro took in the sight of the red mark above his eyes again. Timidly she raised her hand to his forehead, Gaara slid his hands to her shoulders. She gently traced the kanji, it was a deep scar that never healed. It seemed strangely warmer than the rest of his skin. "How did that happen?" She asked.

Gaara shrugged. "I did that to myself years ago."

Zakuro withdrew her hand and rested it on her shoulder over his. "Why? And why "love"?"

He just shrugged again. "Maybe I'll tell you sometime, but not right now."

She decided not to press him about it, recalling his short temper. "What about the circles around your eyes?" She was curious about that too.

He smiled this time. "That's an easy one. I suffer from chronic insomnia."

Zakuro's eyes went wide for a moment. "That bad?" She didn't think insomnia could cause those heavy black circles.

"I've had sleeping problems since I was a child." He explained.

Zakuro nodded. "Alright."

Gaara smiled teasingly. "Any more questions?"

"No, I'm good for now."

They smiled at one another and walked out of the garden. Zakuro's heart sped up a little everytime their hands brushed.

"I'm sorry for going off like that actually." Gaara said after a while. "I didn't mean to trouble you with my past."

"I don't mind." And she really didn't, she was curious about him but she didn't want to pry. She really wanted him to tell her more about him when he was ready. They walked to the middle of the bridge over the pond, brushing the snow from the rail Zakuro rested her arms and looked at her reflection in the ice. She looked the same as she always had. Slim frame, small stature, (Gaara was nearly a head taller than her.) blond hair and large blue eyes. Inside however she felt different. She wasn't pretending to enjoy her provincial life anymore. She looked at Gaara's reflection, he was gazing at her. She felt like she didn't have to pretend around him, she trusted him.

"Well...," Gaara gently nudged her shoulder. "Enough about me. What about you Little Lotte?"

Zakuro looked at him shocked. His smile answered the question in her head. She blushed and buried her face in her hands. "Oh god you heard me last night."

"Of course." He repiled casually. "Insomnia." He added with a smile. Zakuro blushed a deeper red. "You sing beautifully."

Zakuro slowly brought her hands from her face. Turning to face him, she saw that he looked dead serious. "Thank you." She smiled.

Gaara smiled back. "You're welcome."

"You know I think I heard the Angel of Music last night." She eyed him playfully. "But I didn't see him."

"Maybe he's just shy." Gaara said softly.

Zakuro smiled "Maybe."

"Do you like music?" He asked

"I love music." She answered. "I always have. Before I could speak I could sing." They wandered off the bridge and onto that small path in the forest on the opposite side of the pond. Then Zakuro told him about her. About how her father had been the most important person in her life and about her past. Gaara asked questions here and there. Her favorite color. Red. Her favorite season. Winter. (She loved the snow.) Her favorite food. Apples. He was mostly quiet. She told him how much she liked Sakura and Naruto, went on about Shikamaru and his lazy attitude and her childhood with Sasuke.

When she finally finished Gaara said. "It sounds like you had a pretty good life. Why did you run away?"

"I didn't run away."

Gaara smiled smugly at her. "Right, you just happened to be walking this far in the woods in the dead of night."

Zakuro scowled. "If you must know I got into a fight with Sasuke and I wanted to prove something to him."

"What were you fighting about? Or is it none of my business?"

Zakuro thought for a moment, maybe she could get some answers. "Well you see Sasuke was telling the story of the Demon of the woods. Have you ever heard it?"

She noticed that he tensed. "No I haven't." His voice was calm though.

"To make a long story short. He told me I couldn't survive in the woods because the Demon would kill me and I wanted to prove him wrong." She looked right at Gaara.

"And what? You think I'm the Demon?" He said after catching her look.

"Are you?"

He chuckled. "No."

Zakuro stopped him and looked him in the eye. "I'm serious Gaara. Are you?"

"No." His eyes had turned as cold as stone again. "Now drop it." He walked ahead, his shoes crunching through the snow.

Zakuro gazed after him, regretting how she had flat out asked him that. She smacked herself in the forehead. (She was such an idiot sometimes.) She was cretain that he was the Demon now. He wouldn't have reacted that way if he wasn't. Would he? Still if so why was he lying to her? Deciding not to further pester him about it she followed him. The silence between them was uncomfortable now. Chewing on her lip again Zakuro glanced at him nervously. Gaara's face was emotionless. "I guess I did run away actually." She finally said softly. Really admitting it to herself. "It ecame so that I couldn't recognize myself in the mirror. I was just pretending for everyone." Then Zakuro stopped in her tracks for the path had opened so that they stood on a cliff over looking a huge valley. A large river carved out the valley creating the mountains that lay on either side of it, she could just barely see where the river met the ravine in front of the mansion. The snow made everything sparkle, like the world had been covered with diamonds. "It's beautiful." She whispered.

"Yes it is." However Gaara wasn't looking at the valley, he was looking at her. After catching his tone she turned and blushed at the look she saw in his eyes. "Why were you pretending?" He asked.

Zakuro thought for a moment. "I guess...I guess I didn't want to disappoint anyone. I thought if I quit my job and spoke out against the things that were bothering me I would disappoint the people I love. Especially my father."

"Don't you think your father would care more about what you wanted? Gaara said. "When was the last time you thought about what you want?

She hadn't realized just how long it had been since she put herself first. But now she felt like she could be herself again.

Gaara seemed to understand her silence. He offered her his hand. "Come with me."

"Okay." Zakuro took his hand. He laced his cold fingers through her gloved ones and started back toward the mansion.

Inside (after shedding all her heavy winter clothes) Gaara led her upstairs. His hand was still in hers, her heart thudded so loudly she swore it was audible and the butterflies in her stomach were back. Upon reaching her the door of his room Zakuro stopped. Gaara looked back at her confused.

She cocked an eyebrow. "I thought I wasn't allowed in there?" Her teasing smile made him smile and quip right back.

"I'm inviting you in. Now c'mon."

After closing the door behind them Zakuro looked around. It was the same as before. Papers and glass strewn across the floor, stains on the walls, cobwebs and to her mortification she jumped when a spider dropped down near her shoulder.

"Oh. Sorry." Gaara gently caught the spider in his hand. Walking to the balcony doors he opened them with his other hand. Zakuro could see him place the spider on the mansion wall. Turning back to her he shrugged sheepishly. "I kinda keep to myself in here and I'm not very tidy." He expalined.

"You don't say." Zakuro kicked aside a crumpled piece of paper. "I'm sorry again for coming in her without permission. It was wrong."

"It's alright. I over reacted."

She giggled. "You over react? It doesn't seem possible." She joked.

Gaara rolled his eyes, smiling. He walked to the table beside the organ and started rifling through all the papers piled there. "Where did I put that?" He muttered.

Zakuro wandered through the room. Eyeing the black rose in the middle of the room she noticed that more petals were missing now, they rested like black silk on the table. She was curious but didn't say anything. She let her fingers slide across the dusty desk in the corner. Then she saw that one of the drawers was open a little bit. She glaced at Gaara, he was still looking through those papers. She shouldn't, but she felt her hand close around the drawer handle. Pulling it open she found a picture of a woman. The glass was broken and the frame bent like someone had thrown it. Zakuro picked it up, wary of the broken glass and studied it. The woman had shoulder length light brown hair, eyes the color of lilacs and a kind smile. "Is this your mother?"

Gaara looked up and saw the picture in her hands. "Yes." He said softly.

"Gaara, she's beautiful."

"Thank you." He went back to the papers. Finally he found what he'd been looking for.

Zakuro set the picture back in the drawer and closed it. "What are you looking for anyway?" Her words fell away as music reached her ears. She turned to see Gaara sitting at the organ, his white fingers swiftly striking the keys. The sound was beautiful but it had a harsh edge to it. It easily portryed every emotion possible in a way that only long hours of work and sheer brilliance could display. Zakuro was in awe, this sound was incredible and it wasn't like what she'd heard the nights before. This music burned with fire, coming to an end with a loud low chord that echoed through the room. "What was that?" She whispered.

Gaara smiled up at her. "Don Juan." Zakuro's eyes went wide. "My take on it anyway." He continued. "A tribute to Erik really. I may understand him better than anyone." Zakuro wondered just what he meant. He sounded so sad when he'd said that he understood Erik. Gaara slid over on the bench seat and patted the empty space beside him. She sat down next to him, her heart practically jumping out of her chest."Do you play at all?" He asked.

Zakuro chewed on her lip. "A little. My father taught me a few songs years ago. I'm not very good."

Gaara gestured to the keys. "Give it a shot."

She glanced at him quickly. "Okay." She swallowed and hit a few keys before stopping on one. "Middle C, right?"

"Right." His cold breath caressed her ear as her breathed his answer. (As if he wasn't making her nervous enough).

Zakuro started to play "Fur Elise". At first it sounded pretty good, her tempo was slightly off but not noticeable but then she came to the section where she had always messed up. She hit a sour note and cringed. "That's not it." She mumbled. She tried the key next to that one. Wrong. "No. Wait is it a flat next?" She tried it. Wrong again. She sighed.

Gaara chuckled softly beside her. "Here." Zakuro froze as he sild closer to her. Wrapping his arms around her he rested his cold hands lightly on her. "Start again, I'll guide you through it."

She tried to ignore the feeling of his chest against her back, but could tell her face was bright red. His body gave off such cold that she felt goosebumps rise on her skin. "O...okay." She was having trouble remembering to breathe again. Nevertheless she started the song again. When she came to the part where she'd messed up Gaara gently guided her hands to the right notes, indicating with a slight pressure on her fingers. She glanced at him at the same time he looked at her, their eyes locked for a moment and they smiled before going back to the music.

When the song ended Zakuro turned her hands palm up and laced her fingers through his. He gave her hands a gentle squeeze. "See, you just needed a little help."

"More like a lot of help." She squeezed his hands back.

Gaara's soft and whispy chuckle sounded and he withdrew his hands from hers. He took his arm from around her but remained close to her. Going back to the keys he started playing again. Zakuro's heart clenched this was what she'd been hearing the nights before. The same passionate and sorrowful melody that she had fallen in love with the second she'd heard it was even more beautiful now. That sense of longing once again brought tears to her eyes. Gaara's passion for the music was obvious in the way he struck the keys and the far-off expression on his face. The same look that Zakuro got when she sang. The song ened on a soft long note. "It's not quite finished yet." Gaara said sheepishly. He turned and was surprised to see tears in her eyes. "Zakuro?"

She quickly wiped her tears away. "Sorry." She mumbled. "Gaara that was beautiful."

He reached up and caught a stray tear from her cheek. "You inspired this one Zakuro."

She was shocked. "I inspired that?"

"Yes." He said simply. Smiling that lopsided smile he picked up another sheet of paper. "Everyone needs a little help once in a while." He handed the paper to her. "Would you help me now?"

Zakuro took the paper, looking at it she said. "You want me to sing?"

His eyes looked pleading. "Would you?" She smiled and nodded. "Thank you." He started to play and she sang. The words flowed from her lips like she had known them forever. Gaara's heart started to ache again, he was slowly beginning to like it. He had always loved music but now even his own work didn't seem to measure up to the beauty of the voice singing it. His face felt warm.

When the song finished Zakuro set the music aside. "You're a genius Gaara. Your works they're...they're incredible. No that doesn't even cover it." She couldn't keep the smile off her face. She'd never met anyone who loved music the way she did, besides her father. "You certainly don't need my help." She added modestly.

"But with the help of an angel maybe something good will come of it."

His voice was so soft she barely heard it. "What do you mean?" Gaara didn't answer, he was staring with a far-off look at the wall. Only this look wasn't like when he was playing, it was pained. She watched him blink afew times as if he were clearing his head. "Gaara, are you okay?" Zakuro gently placed a hand on his shoulder. Wait was he blushing? He was. Gaara turned to look at her, in those hypnotic slate blue eyes she saw sadness and pain, but also pleading and longing. She was about to ask what was wrong but he closed her mouth with a kiss. Flashes of her dream ran through her mind, she pushed them away. His cold lips were on hers for less than a second before he pulled away. He smiled sadly at her and then turned back to the organ.

However Zakuro wasn't having that. She gently grasped the front of his shirt and pulled him to her, placing her lips on his. At first she was afraid that he would be upset with her. But when his arms encircled her, closing the miniscule gap between them all her fears vanished. She slowly loosened her grip on his collar, one hand moving to the back of his neck where her fingers idly tangled in his hair. One of his hands held her face while the other traced circles on her collarbone. Zakuro's breath caught when she felt his tongue, slowly she opened her mouth and kissed him right back. They kissed until her teeth ached from cold. He even placed an icy kiss on her neck and another under her jaw.

Little did they know that one green and one blue eye watched them from the keyholes of the doors. Sakura and Naruto had indentical looks of shock on their faces, which instantly turned to excitement.

Naruto punched the air. "Yes. We're gonna be free." He hissed.

Sakura grasped his face and kissed him right on the lips. After a brief second she released him so that he nearly fell backward. After a moment of disbelief Naruto grinned like a fool. Realizing what she'd done Sakura slapped him in the chest. He made confused gestures and sounds. She put a finger to her lips to silence him and pressed her ear against the door.

Finally they separated and looked into each others eyes. Gaara's were softer than she'd ever seen them before. Zakuro shivered and had to ask. "Why are you so cold?"

"With a heart made of ice you think I would be." He stood and walked to the balcony doors.

"You're not all that bad." She said softly.

He sighed. "You don't know the half of it."

Zakuro stood. "Then tell me. Please Gaara."

He looked at her for a long time. "Not right now." He caught her look. "I will tell you but not now. I promise."

She nodded deciding to be patient. "Alright." She walked over and wrapped her arms around his waist, resting her head on his chest. Closing her eyes she listened to the sound of his heartbeat softly thudding in her ear. Gaara folded his arms around her and pressed his face to her hair. Opening her eyes she looked out to the balcony. "How is it dark out already?" She cried.

"The end of another day." He mumbled absentmindedly.

Zakuro pouted. "I don't want it to end." She walked out onto the balcony and shivered in the cold wind. She turned and looked back at him, his face looked pained and his fingers worked his temple.

He caught her worried look. "Just a headache. Don't worry about it." He pinced the bridge of his nose for a few seconds and looked better. "All things have to come to an end eventually." He took her hand. "C'mon I'll walk you to your room." They started for the door.

Outside the door Naruto and Sakura jumped and scrambled to the corner of the hall. Naruto tripped and fell just as the door opened, but Sakura grabbed him and dragged him around the corner. They watched as Gaara and Zakuro emerged from the room, hand in hand. Their master looked over his shoulder right at them. The servants jumped and disappeared around the corner.

Zakuro followed his look. "What is it?"

"Nothing." He replied. "C'mon." He led her down the hall.

After they were sure the their master was out of earshot. Naruto said. "He saw us."

"Well duh!" Sakura snapped.

Naruto sighed. "We're boned."

After reaching the door to Zakuro's room she said to Gaara. "Thank you, for everything."

"You're welcome... for everything." He smiled teasingly. "Goodnight Zakuro." He turned and walked down the hall.

"Goodnight." She mumbled. She chewed on her lip thinking for a moment. "Gaara wait." She called after him. He stopped and looked back at her. Zakuro looked at the floor and nervously twittled her fingers. "M... may I have a goodnight... kiss?"

Gaara looked at her for a moment before taking quick stpes back to her. Taking her face in his frozen hands he kissed her. It was short and sweet. He pulled back and rested his forehead against hers. "Sweet dreams Zakuro."

His cold touch as well as something she couldn't name made her shiver. "Thank you." She whispered. "Goodnight Gaara."

He released her and vanished down the hall. Zakuro went inside her room and curled up on the bed. Her heart pounded in her chest, her lips were chilled, and her body ached for that cold touch. She was in love with Gaara.

Back in his room Gaara leaned against the door, breathing deeply with his hand over his heart like he had the night she came into his life. His heart ached, his pale cheeks were flushed, and adrenaline raced through his body. He'd never felt this way before, it was strange and confusing but he liked it. "I've tasted all the happiness the world can offer." He whispered into the dark quoting Erik. Zakuro was perfect, she was beautiful, clever, and funny. He felt like she understood him, that she wouldn't judge him. She was evrything he could've ever dreamed of.

Suddenly his breathing became heavy, irregular and pain rushed through Gaara's head. His body tensed and twitched like he was having a seizure. One hand flew to his head, the other around his chest as if to keep himself from falling apart. Faces flashed through his mind, his uncle, his father, and many others. The last was Zakuro. As quickly as this had come it was gone, the force knocking him down on one knee. He braced his hands against the floor and panted, broken glass cutting into his palms and he was dripping sweat. He looked up at the black rose in its case only five petals were left on it. "Sometimes I envy you Erik." Shaking slightly he stood up and picked the glass from his hands. (He thought he would've gotten used to this by now but these attacks always left him shaken.) He walked to his desk and taking a key from his pocket unlocked the top right hand drawer. The only thing inside was a small black box. Gaara picked up the box and looked at it. He knew what he had to do.

Author's Note: Ok first off those who have read Phantom by Susan Kay I'm sorry. I wrote this before I read it and Don Juan and Gaara's remarks about Erik are not done justice. I'm really sorry. I wanted to work some more Phantom Of The Opera references in here. (Hence the title of the chapter) Again sorry. And yes I know "Fur Elise" will probably not sound like it should on an organ but I just learned how to play that song so I put it in here. Now besides that a pretty long part if my estimate is right. And a cliff hanger ending. :) The rest of this has been writing itself but I haven't started typing yet so the next chapter won't be posted for a while. Thank you for reading.


	8. Chapter 8 Heartbreak

Later that night Sakura and Naruto sat in Sakura's room talking quietly. "He hasn't summoned us yet." Sakura said. "That's not like him."

"Maybe he didn't see us spying." Naruto shrugged.

Sakura shook her head. "No, he definately saw us. Something's not right."

"What do you mean?" Naruto in disbelief. "He and Zakuro are falling for each other. We're not going to be slaves anymore and who would've thought they come together on their own. We didn't need to help them along like we thought."

Sakura smiled. "Yeah I guess we didn't. And did you see him when they were together, he so different. There must be something there that wasn't there before." Smiling, Naruto nodded in agreement.

That night Zakuro slept soundly, her head filled with music. When she woke the next morning she hoped that Gaara would be waiting outside her door. However when he wasn't there she got a little worried, but decided not to bother him. She understood now what Naruto and Sakura meant when they called him a "ghost", he disappeared from time to time and only reappeared when he wished to.

All night and well into the day Gaara paced the floor of his room. He tried to think of an alternative solution, but there was none. Finally in the late afternoon he walked downstairs with a heavy heart and heard Zakuro singing again. He almost turned around and returned to his room when he heard that beautiful sound, so clear and lively. Pressing forward he followed the sound into the ballroom, inside Naruto and Sakura danced across the sandy marble floor to Zakuro's voice.

Noticing him, Naruto bowed and Sakura curtsied. "Good afternoon sir." They said. Gaara nodded to them.

Zakuro walked over to him. "Good afternoon is right." She greeted him, smiling widely. "Where've you been all day?" She asked.

"In my room, thinking." He answered, looking away from her. Zakuro noticed that his eyes looked guarded. "Zakuro can I talk to you for a moment, alone?"

Zakuro's insides twisted at his tone. His voice sounded strained as if he didn't really want to talk to her about what was on his mind. She was instantly worried. "Sure." She aswered, nevertheless. Following him out into the hall she tried to take his hand, but everytime she did he pulled away. Something was wrong, he seemed too distant, his face set hard. "What did you want to talk about?" She asked when he stopped.

Turning to face her Gaara took in how she looked. Still as beautiful as ever, her long blond hair sitting against her shoulders, bangs frameing her elegant face and her large blue eyes looked concerned. She was wearing a white dress with delicate lace designs that hugged her curves before developing into a wide skirt. It reminded him of a wedding dress and Gaara couldn't bear to think of that right now. "I just want to give you something." He said softly.

Zakuro smiled and shook her head. "You don't need to do that. After yesterday, after all that you sahred with me I couldn't ask for..." Her words fell away when she saw the gold ring in Gaara's hand. "What's that?"

The ring was gold and had a large diamond set in it with two black gems on either side of it. Zakuro's left hand trembled as Gaara lifted it and slid the ring on her fourth finger. He held her hand in both of his. "You're no longer my prisoner Zakuro, you're free. You can go home now." He said. "Just promise me you'll always keep this ring with you."

Zakuro's voice shook. "I promise."

"Thank you Zakuro." Gaara pressed his lips to her fingers, they seemed even colder now. After a short moment he released her, turned and headed back toward the foyer.

Zakuro stared at the ring on her trembling hand, her heartbeat pounded in her ears. She didn't feel like a prisoner here anymore. In fact she felt more at home than she had in years. "But... I don't want to go." She mumbled.

Gaara froze, he hadn't counted on this. He had hoped that she would understand and just go back to where she was safe. He looked back at her and the crumpled look on her face made his heart clench.

"I...I like it here." She told him, looking at the floor. "Sakura and Naruto are my friends. And...and you're here." Looking up at him the enraged look on his face made her flinch.

"Why do you have to make things so difficult?!" He shouted, his voice echoing through the room. He turned from her, placing a hand to his head again he walked toward the stairs. "Just leave."

Zakuro watched his retreating back in open mouthed astonishment. She felt heartsick and a breathless feeling spread through her chest, as if her lungs had been filled with cotton. Why was he doing this? Something was really wrong. She caught him half-way up the stairs. He glared at her hand on his sleeve. "What's the matter? Why are you acting like this?" She demanded. Gaara shook off her hand and for a second dhe thought he was going to hit her, but his hand felt back to his side. However the look he gave her felt as if he had. He continued up the stairs quicker now. "Gaara answer me!" She called, when he didn't she charged up the stairs after him. Just before he reached the door of his room Zakuro placed her back against the door with her hands behind her and stared him down. "I'm not moving until you tell me what's really going on. What about everything that happened yesterday?" Inspite of herself her voice broke.

Gaara finally spoke and his voice was filled with venom. "Yesterday I was just lying to myself. I thought that I could share my past with someone else without any regret, but I was wrong. I should've known that I was always meant to be alone. I learned that years ago. I live solely for myself and I love only myself, nothing will ever change that. I will forever remain cruel, self-centered, and heartless." He spat Zakuo's past words. "Now leave my home before I lose my temper."

His rage was a calm one and that scared Zakuro more than anything. She felt tears sting at the back of her eyes and blinked them away. "Fine," She sobbed. "If that's the way you want it I'll go. I guess you will always be self-centered. Enjoy your lonliness Gaara." Giving another sob she pushed past him and ran downstairs.

Gaara felt sick, he'd been cruel before but it had never torn him apart inside like now. The pain on Zakuro's beautiful face had made him want to die a thousand times over. He couldn't bear to hurt her but there was no other way. If she was away from him she would be safe. Walking out onto the balcony he watched Zakuro disappear into the woods, again she didn't look back. He leaned his pounding head against the stone wall. "I love you Zakuro." He whispered. "And that's why I have to protect you." As if to prove his point Gaara was suddenly stricken with another attack, this one worse than last night. It brought him to his knees in seconds and he writhed and twitched for what seemed like eternity. Finally it left him panting and dizzy, lying on his back looking up at the rapidly darkening sky. "Please be safe Zakuro, please." Deep inside he knew that half of his soul had left with her.

Inside the forest Zakuro ran till her lungs felt like they were about to burst. Finally she stopped and crumpled to the ground, burying her face in her hands she cried. Her white dress got soaked with snow as she knelt on the forest floor. She didn't understand. Had she done something wrong? She hadn't pestered Gaara too much and she'd only wanted to comfort him, to be close to him. Maybe that had been her mistake. Suddenly a gust of freezing cold wind jarred her from her thoughts and noticed that she was shivering. It must've been at least ten degrees colder than yesterday. Zakuro rubbed her arms for warmth and realized that in her haste to get away she had left her cloak behind. Still crying she stood and walked deeper into the woods, the wind chilled her to the bone and practically froze her tears. Further and further she walked unaware of where she was going, she didn't care. Finally she was shivering so bad that she couldn't walk straight, her muscles ached with fatigue and she sat at the foot of a tree shaking uncontrolably. Pulling her dress tight around her Zakuro laid down in the snow, her tears falling silently and her body stinging from the cold. Curling her knees to her chest she shivered, slowly the stinging pain dulled to an ache and darkness claimed her.

In the meantime Sasuke and his search party were still looking for Zakuro. Kiba sat down on a fallen log, his small white dog Akamaru at his ankles. "I'm wiped." He pushed his fur trimmed hood off his head revealign a tan face and fierce angular eyes. Because of his clan's ties to canines his eyes looked like a dog's and he had other charcteristics like his speed, sense of smell, sharp teeth and his fingernails looked more like claws. Akamaru growled at irritatedly at him and Kiba could understand the dog's speech. "Yeah I know boy. We're never gonna find Zakuro." He agreed.

"We will find her!" Kiba looked to see Sasuke glaring at him. "Now get up you two and scout ahead, see if you can pick up her scent!" Sasuke threw Zakuro's red hair ribbon to Kiba.

Kiba caught the ribbon. "Alright you don't have to yell." He smelled the ribbon and grinned. "Damn that girl smells good." He caught Sasuke's look. "What? I satand by it, she'e gorgeous. And you're not the only guy in her life Sasuke." With a cocky grin he took off with Akamaru right behind him.

Sasuke scowled after them. "Sasuke." Feeling somone place a hand on his shoulder he turned to face Neji's cool gray eyes. "It's time to face facts." He said. Always the voice of reason Neji was the first to tell someone not to get their hopes up. "It will shortly be three days Zakuro has been lost out here, you need to accept that she may be dead." Neji's voice was emotionless.

Sasuke shrugged Neji's hand off. "I won't accept it, not until we find her! I know she's alive!" He shouted. "Now look again Neji, I want you to do a scan in all directions with a 25 kilometer radius!" His dark eyes dared Neji to contradict him.

Neji's eyes narrowed to angry slits. He glared at Sasuke for a moment before walking a few steps away. Closing his eyes he let his chakra build up. "Byakugan." Opening his eyes the muscles around them thightened exposing veins beneath taut skin. His vision extended to 360 degrees all around him and penetrated through the trees and underbrush. He saw birds, rodents and insects but nothing that looked human. He searched for a full five minutes and was just about to give up when something caught his eyes. He could just make out a small figure at the foot of a tree 15 kilometers to the northwest from where the group was now. "I think I found something." He told the others.

At the same time Neji's eyes percieved that figure Kiba and Akamaru sniffed the air and caught a peticular scent. "Hey guys," Kiba called back. "Akamaru and I got her scent."

Sasuke took off toward Kiba flanked by Neji, Shikamaru, and Choji. Kiba led them in a northwest direction following Zakuro's scent, with Neji confirming it. After a while Kiba stopped and pointed a clawed finger. "There she is." Zakuro was nearly invisible, hidden beneath a thin layer of snow.

"Zakuro!" Sasuke rushed to her side, brushing the snow from her face and hair he held her close. "Zakuro wake up." He gently shook her shoulder, she didn't stir. "Please wake up."

Zakuro became aware of someone calling her name, the voice seemed far away. She could feel strong arms holding her and was slowly brought back to earth. Opening her eyes she saw Gaara smiling that lopsided smile, looking relieved. Her heart swelled, he was here, he had gone after her. "Gaara." Her voice was raspy and barely a whisper, her throat felt raw.

He looked confused. "What? Zakuro it's me."

Zakuro blinked and there was Sasuke holding her and looking worried. "Sasuke?" She glanced around and saw four other guys from her village. "What are you guys all doing here?"

"Looking for you." Sasuke said. "Don't you ever make me worry like that again."

"I'm sorry." And then Zakuro broke off into a coughing fit that shook her chest. She put a hand over her mouth and coughed till her chest felt like it was on fire.

"Hey," Sasuke held her tighter. "Are you okay?" Zakuro shook her head, no. Her throat felt like she had swallowed broken glass and she was freezing. She buried her face in Sasuke's warm chest, shivering. Sasuke put a hand to her forehead, it was scorching. "Oh wow you're burning up. We've got to get you back fast."

She gasped when Sasuke picked her up as easily as a doll. She had forgotten how strong he was. With one arm he held her under her knees and the other around her back, so she was cradled against him. When he started walking Zakuro mumbled. "Wait." She tried to get down out of his grip but her fever had left her groggy and her muscles labored to move.

Sasuke held her tight. "It's ok Zakuro." He said soothingly. "We're going to take you home."

Zakuro coughed again and it felt as if her chest would split in two. Her coughing left her exhausted and the darkness took her again. However she knew that home was in the other direction.

Author's note: Yes I know I'm not that good at making people (especially Gaara) angry. I haven't quite got that skill down yet. I'm working on it though. :) And Sasuke's back too (yay? incase you haven't read my profile I don't like Sasuke that much but he's a perfect rival for Gaara you know) Shikamaru will come in more later, that's why I mentioned him in the beginning too. :) The next chapter will be up shortly. Reviews are greatly appreciated. :) :)


	9. Chapter 9 Sasuke's Plot

"This is pointless." Dosu grumbled angrily, kicking a stone across the ground. "If Zakuro hasn't been found yet, she's not going to be found." His words were loud and clear through the bandages that covered all of his face with the exception of his left eye.

"I agree." Zaku scowled. "It's been three days we've been dragging our feet through these woods. She's dead by now."

These two were part of Sasuke's search party. They had been sent ahead of the others to cover more ground. Walking deeper into the woods they were shocked to find a huge mansion perched within a clearing. "Whoa." Zaku breathed.

Dosu spotted a figure of a man standing on the bridge leading to the mansion. "Maybe Zakuro passed through here, I'll go ask that guy." He motioned with his head toward the man.

Zaku remembered all the warnings about the Demon of the woods and got a bad feeling in his gut. "I don't think that's a good idea Dosu." But Dosu was already on the bridge. "Dosu." He hissed through his teeth.

Dosu stopped a few feet from the man on the bridge. He cleared his throat. "Pardon me but I'm looking for a girl named Zakuro, blond, a little taller than me. She got lost a few days ago and I was wondering if she had passed by here." The man didn't aknowledge him, he was still as a statue. "Sir?"

The man was staring at the full moon, it was still light out but the moon had already risen. "When the full moon rises, its blood boils." His voice was whispy and strained.

"What?" Dosu's confusion was quickly replaced by terror. His eye widened as he watched the man's body convulse and finally change into a monsterous form. He felt his stomach lurch and he sputtered. "You… you're the Demon!"

Zaku watched in horror as the monster charged at his comrade and killed him instantly. He took in the sight of the mangled corpse that only seconds ago had been his friend. Forcing his fear paralyzed legs to move he took off back toward the village, careful not to be seen.

Inside the mansion Sakura was sobbing into Naruto's chest, the two having just witnessed that horrific sight from the window. Naruto rubbed Sakura's back, trying to calm her down but his hands trembled. The two froze as their master entered the mansion, slamming the door behind him he disappeared up the stairs. Seconds later they heard a crash upstairs and flinched.

"We've got to get Zakuro back here." Sakura's voice shook. "She's the only one who can stop this."

Naruto nodded. "You're right. But how do exactly do we find her?"

"She couldn't have gotten too far away. She lives just outside the forest remember?"

Another crash could be heard from the second floor. "Let's get moving then," Naruto took Sakura's hand and headed toward the door. "Before he decides to kill us too."

Zakuro could hear voices talking about her. They were familiar, voices that she had grown up with.

"Do you think she's ok?" She heard Choji ask. She could picture him clearly, his portly stature and pudgy face looking worried as he often was.

"We got her back quickly, so she should be fine." She heard Neji's voice answer, sounding as unconcered as ever. Zakuro could see him, arms crossed sternly over his chest, his face betraying no emotion.

"C'mon you guys this is Zakuro we're talking about, she's a fighter. She'd never be taken down that easily." Zakuro took in Shikamaru's words and smiled on the inside. He'd always known that Zakuro was tough, ever since she gave him a bloody nose when they were six. Shikamaru had been teasing her about her height so she jumped right up and punched him right in the face. After receiving a harsh scolding from their parents they'd apologized to each other and had been close ever since, Shikamaru having realized that Zakuro wasn't like other girls, that she cared more about what was in her heart than what she was wearing.

"Well, I don't know about that. However I do know she's gorgeous half-dead or not." Her internal smile turned into a scowl. Kiba had always had a nasty habit of hitting on her.

Zakuro had never appreciated it. "Do you ever think of anything else?" She muttered. She could feel their embarassment, they'd been talking about her thinking she couldn't hear them. Kiba was leaning over the back of the couch Zakuro was lying on, his chin resting in his hand. She reached up and knocked his arm out from under him. Kiba cried out, hit his face on the couch and losing his balance fell to the floor with a loud thud.

The guys all laughed. Shikamaru walked over and patted Zakuro's shoulder, smiling. "You're just fine."

Zakuro smiled up at him. "You had doubts?" She rasped, her throat was still sore. Taking a look around, she saw that she was in an all too familiar room, Sasuke's living room. She recalled the countless times she'd shared secrets as well as lunch in here with Sasuke as a child. His mother fawning over Zakuro, she'd always been the daughter his mother never had and his father watching over them. She was lying on the couch where she had so often talked with Sasuke about their future, wrapped in a heavy blanket embroidered with the Uchiha insignia, a red and white fan. Sasuke had once told her that he was going to marry her in this very room, she had giggled then, they'd only been children.

The guys all stood around the room just the way she'd pictured them. Neji was across the room, his arms folded over his chest with Choji next to him looking relieved now. Kiba stood and scowled at her, rubbing his jaw. Hearing a bark at her elbow Zakuro looked to see Akamaru with his front paws up against the couch. The little white dog's tail wagged back and forth, his pink tongue hanging out of his mouth, he barked again and jumped in the air. Smiling she reached down and petted his rough fur, he licked her hand and yipped again before running over to Kiba. Akamaru circled Kiba's ankles twice and after Kiba picked him up crawled inside Kiba's gray jacket taking his normal spot at Kiba's chest, his furry white face sticking out of the jacket.

Upon hearing the commotion Sasuke walked into the living room, seeing that Zakuro was awake he rushed over to her. Shikamaru walked over to stand with the other guys and talk amongst themselves, but Zakuro wasn't naïve, she knew that they were eavesdropping. Sasuke sat down on the couch beside her. "Hey, how are you feeling?"

"I'm fine." She lied, her head pounded and she spoke softy but her voice was still raspy. She supressed a cough.

Sasuke gave her a look that told her that he didn't believe her. "What were you thinking, running off like that?"

"I'm sorry."

He shook his head irritatedly at her but then his face and voice softened. "Promise me you'll never scare me like that again. I don't want to lose you." His dark eyes bore into hers.

Zakuro bit her lip. "Sasuke-"

"Promise me." He squeezed her hand, his tone final.

"I promise." She said and had to break off into a coughing fit. Sasuke lifted her head and helped her drink from the cup he held in his hand, it was his mother's remedy for sore throats. Her throat was instantly soothed but the pain threatened to come back, only dulled for a while. "Thanks." He set the cup on the small table beside the couch, turning back to her he smiled. Zakuro then noticed that she was starting to sweat and threw off the blanket covering her.

Sasuke placed the back of his fingers to her cheek. "There's a good sign. Your fever's breaking."

"So Zakuro," Kiba said. "Don't just leave us wondering over here. What happened out there in the woods?"

Zakuro's stomach dropped, she was afraid someone would ask that. Sitting up she was prepared to tell them a hopefully convincing lie. Then suddenly Zaku came bursting through the door, he looked as if he'd fallen in the snow numerous times, his clothes were wet and clinging to him, his dark hair tousled and he was out of breath. He rested his hand on his knees and panted. "Guys," He broke off to a a pant. "You wou..ldn't believe..wh..what I just saw!"

After a moment of complete silence everyone turned skeptical. Zaku was notorious in the village for telling crazy stories. Over the years he'd even earned the nickname "the boy who cried wolf." (Which he had once.) Zakuro got a bad feeling from the terrified look on his face.

The guys laughed. "Sure, Zaku whatever you say." Choji rolled his eyes.

"Yeah right." Kiba grinned. "What did you see that we wouldn't believe?" He said mockingly.

"Dosu and I were in the woods walking, looking for her." Zaku pointed to Zakuro. "Glad you're okay by the way." He added and Zakuro nodded. "But then we walk into this clearing and there's this huge house out there. Dosu spotted a man outside the house and went to ask if Zakuro had been through there. The next thing I know that guy changed into a monster and killed Dosu on the spot. I swear if I live to be a hundred I'll never forget that face."

There was a short pause and then the guys were laughing twice as hard as before. Kiba looked like he was on the verge of tears, Choji and Neji were having trouble breathing. Shikamaru and Sasuke seemed to be the only ones taking this seriously.

Zakuro couldn't open her mouth for fear of being sick. Her stomach knotted in fear, she felt like the wind had been knocked out of her and she struggled to breathe. Gaara was the Demon and he'd killed Dosu. Something in her gut told her that he needed her now more than ever, Zakuro had to get some answers, she had to get back to the mansion.

Sasuke pondered this for a minute, carefully studying Zaku. No doubt, this sounded like the Demon's handiwork. Turning back to Zakuro he saw that she had gone as white as the dress she was wearing. "Wait," Sasuke realized something. "Weren't you wearing a red dress the night you left? And your cloak is gone too."

Zakuro nearly bit right through her lip.

"Yeah," Shikamaru piped up. "And what about my lantern that you took?"

"I was wearing this when I left Sasuke. Your memory must be going." She teased as sweetly as she could, hoping that he would believe her lie. "I lost my cloak and your lantern too Shikamaru." She turned to him. "Sorry. I'll make it up to you."

Shikamaru waved it away. "That's ok. I'll just have hell to pay from my Dad." He grinned. "As if I'm not used to that by now." Shikamaru was constantly being scolded by his father.

Sasuke's face told her that he didn't believe her. He turned to Zaku. "Are you telling the truth?"

"Yes!" Zaku cried. "I wouldn't lie about my best friend being murdered in cold blood! Dosu was left a bloody mess back there! It was the Demon!"

Sasuke's ebony eyes flashed with vengance. "Where did you see this place?"

"Way out in the middle of the woods."

"Could you lead us there?"

Zaku nodded. "I think so."

Zakuro laid a hand on Sasuke's arm. "Sasuke you can't really believe this. Zaku's just telling stories again."

"I'm not! I swear!" Zaku insisted.

Zakuro sighed and ran a hand through her hair. Sasuke grabbed her wrist and she realized her mistake. He stared at the ring on her finger with narrowed eyes. "Where did you get this?" He said angrily.

"Sasuke," She tried to pull away but he held her wrist firmly. "Let me go."

"You didn't have an engagement ring before you left." His tone held an ominous edge.

"Sasuke-"

"He gave it to you, didn't he?"

"Who?"

"The Demon!" Sasuke pulled the ring from her finger and stood. The other guys all stared at her.

Zakuro stood and looked up at him. (Sasuke stood several inches taller than her.) "What are you talking about?!"

"I think you know very well what I'm talking about!" He shouted at her. He glared down at her for a moment before he turned his back and walked away.

Zakuro followed him a few steps. "Sasuke give me my ring back." He didn't stop. "Sasuke give it back!"

He whirled around to face her. "Why is so important to you?! Is the Demon who had the nerve to put a ring on your finger waiting for you to come running back to him?!"

Zakuro stepped back and couldn't stop the tears pressing into her eyes. "Sasuke you don't understand."

"Oh I understand perfectly." He turned to face the guys. "Now that we know where he's hiding what do you guys say to paying him a visit?" The guys stood in silence. "For too long our home has been haunted by that Demon. We've lost countless members of the village to him, strong men, young women, friends, and family!" Sasuke's hands clenched into fists. (Thinking of his brother, no doubt.) "Let's make sure they don't die in vain, let's take him down before he takes anyone else from us!" The guys nodded in agreement. "We'll be heroes, stories will be told about us for years to come! Now who's with me!" The guys cheered, throwing their fists into the air as Zakuro watched in horror.

"Sasuke you can't do this." She grasped his hands. Her eyes pleaded with him hoping he would understand the cause of her alarm.

But Sasuke pulled her to him and pressed his lips to hers. It wasn't like Gaara's kiss, his was cold and sent adrenaline pulsing through her blood. Sasuke's however was warm and bubbly, she was immediately filled with the old memories she had long forgotten and that little gril she'd once been resurfaced for a moment. Drawing away Zakuro could see the little boy she'd fallen for all those years ago hidden deep in Sasuke's eyes. He held her hands close to his chest. "I promise I'll break whatever hold that Demon has on you and then nothing will keep us apart." He whispered, mistaking her alarm for concern for him.

Zakuro's tears spilled down her cheeks. "Sasuke-"

He put a finger to her lips, silencing her. "I won't be long." He said. "Wait here where it's safe." Sasuke motioned for the pthers to follow him and headed for the door.

"Wait!" Zakuro cried, running to the door she stood with her back against it. "I…I can't let you do this." The guys just looked at her. "It's too dangerous, you won't come back." Zakuro tried to think of an excuse to get them to stay, but she had no other option. "Let… let me go instead." Sasuke blinked in surprise. "Just let me go and calm him down, he won't hurt me." Zakuro could see Sasuke's face turn cold. "Please, he needs me." She started sobbing.

Sasuke's eyes had turned as cold as stone. "Whatever power he has over you, I'll make sure it's severed."

Zakuro looked at the floor and shook her head sadly. "You don't understand." She whispered.

"You love him." It was a statement not a question and Sasuke spat it through clenched teeth.

Zakuro's head shot up and her stunned silence gave her away. But more painfully was the icy expression on Sasuke's face. "Just let me go and see him." She pleaded.

"I can't do that Zakuro. Now move." Sasuke demanded.

"No! If you want to get to him you have to go through me first!" Quick as a flash Sasuke's hand shot out and he slapped her hard across her face. Zakuro cried out and stumbled away from the door, giving Sasuke a chance to escape outside. The guys looked from Sasuke to Zakuro, sure Sasuke had a temper but they never thought that he would hurt Zakuro. She held her bruised cheek in disbelief. Then her face contorted in fury. "That tears it." She hissed under her breath. Running after him she grabbed Sasuke's shoulder, spinning him around she gave him a firm right hook. He stumbled back and swiped at the blood on his lip. "Will you listen to me for once! It's the likes of you that make him the way he is!" She screamed. "He just wants to be left alone and I won't let you hurt him!"

Sasuke glared at her as she stood sobbing, but remaining defiant. "I'm disappointed in you Zakuro. You've underestimated me. I thought you knew me better than that."

Zakuro gasped when she heard Sasuke's voice behind her. The Sasuke in front of her hadn't spoken, but simply took the punch for him and now vanished in a puff of smoke. A clone. She felt another sharp pain strike her head and slumped to the ground unconcious.

Sasuke slowly lowered his arm. "I'm sorry Zakuro, but no one, not even you is going to get in my way tonight." He looked back at the others, who stood motionless on the street. "Well, are you coming or not?" He snapped, making some of them flinch at his tone but followed him none the less.

"Count me out." Sasuke turned to see Shikamaru kneeling on the ground with Zakuro's unconcious form in his arms. He scowled at Sasuke. "You went oo far Sasuke."

Sasuke's eyes narrowed. "Fine," He barked. "If you're not with us you're against us. Go ahead and be a coward. C'mon guys." He walked away onto the street toward the woods. The guys all followed except Choji who lingered for a moment. He looked from Shikamaru to Sasuke and back before leaving his bestfriend behind. Shikamaru glared after them.

Just outside the village Naruto rested his hands on his knees and panted. He and Sakura had just run all the way through the woods. Sakura pulled on his arm. "C'mon we've still got to find Zakuro."

"And how exactly do we find her? This place is huge." He panted.

"Well we're obviously not going to find her just standing here." Sakura dragged Naruto a few feet before they took off running again.

A short way down the street they could see a group of people. (Sasuke's group had gained others as they marched through the village and had now become a mob, loudly jeering and shouting.) Leading the group was a tall man with jet black hair that hung in his eyes and the expression he held made him look very dangerous. As Naruto ran past him his blue eyes met those of the leader, they were black as pitch and just as cold. Naruto got a chill down his back and he stopped running to watch the crowd continue on. Sakura stepped beside him. "I don't like the look of that mob." He said.

Sakura shuddered. "Niether do I and look where they're headed." She pointed to the forest's edge.

"I've got a bad feeling about this."

"Me too."

"C'mon." Naruto took Sakura's hand and they started running toward the village square.

Outside Sasuke's house Shikamaru was softly patting Zakuro's cheek. "Zakuro, hey wake up." He said.

Zakuro grumbled and pushed his hand away. She sat up and put a hand to the back of her head, where Sasuke had hit her. "Ow." She mumbled, then remembering everything she sat straight up and looked around. "Sasuke?!"

"He's gone." Shikamaru said sadly. "They're all gone."

Zakuro looked back at him. "Except you?"

Shikamaru smiled. "Except me."

"Thanks Shikamaru." She smiled back at him.

"No problem Z." He gave her his old nickname for her and helped her stand. "How's your head?"

Zakuro brushed at the back of her head again. "That's not what hurts." She whispered as tears started stinging her eyes. "What's happened to Sasuke? Where did my friend go?"

Shikamaru put an arm around her shoulders. Zakuro leaned against him and fought back the need to cry. He gave her a tight hug, rubbing her back soothingly. Then she heard someone call her name. Looking to the intersection up the street she saw the all too familiar faces of two of the three people that she had come to love over the past days. "Zakuro!" They called. "Zakuro Fujiwara!"

Sniffling she pulled away from Shikamaru's embrace. "Naruto? Sakura?"

The two heard her and looking down the road to her, smiled widely. Smiling back she met them halfway down the road and embraced the two of them. "I thought I'd never see you two again."

"We were thinking the same thing." Naruto grinned.

Sakura grabbed her hands. "Zakuro you have to come back to the mansion."

Zakuro was startled by the urgency in her tone. "What? Why?"

"Gaara's gone crazy without you." Naruto said matching Saskura's tone. "You have to come back."

Zakuro shook her head. "He doesn't want me around he said so himself."

"Zakuro don't you get it," Sakura said. "He was trying to protect you."

Naruto answered her confused face. "When he gets like this he's unpredictable and unstable. He could kill you if he lost control, so he had to send you away. Do you see now, he doesn't want to hurt you. He loves you."

Zakuro fell silent and chewed on her lip. She thought of Gaara, his mouth upturned in that half-smile, his hypnotic slate blue eyes, that soft chuckle when she'd tease him, the blush on his face before he had kissed her. He'd written such beautiful music because of her. She remembered his coldness before and how he'd slowly warmed up, treating her so gently. Suddenly she was aware of her increased heartbeat and the warmth on her cheeks.

"Please come back with us." Sakura pleaded.

Smiling Zakuro nodded. "Let's go." Naruto and Sakura grinned at her. "Oh wait Sasuke and the other guys." She added. "I almost forgot."

"Do you mean that mob headed toward the woods?" Naruto gestured over his shoulder.

"Oh no," Zakuro drew blood from chewing her lip too hard. The bitter taste was like an omen of what was surely going to happen if Sasuke found Gaara. "We don't have time to waste then, they're going after Gaara."

She saw shock on their faces. "What?" Sakura cried. "They'll be killed."

"They all will." Naruto added.

"I've got to get to Gaara and talk some sense into him. If that's even possible." Zakuro said.

"It is." Sakura said. "You're the only one who can stop this."

"Hey," Zakuro had nearly forgotten about Shikamaru. She looked back at his determined face. "Whatever you guys are up to, I'm in." He said. "Sasuke has gone way too far and you're gonna need all the help you can get to stop all those guys."

Zakuro smiled at him. "I'll explain everything on the way. Thank you Shikamaru."

The four then took off, running through the streets toward the woods. Zakuro cursed the length of her dress and after tripping twice she sighed angrily and lifted the skiet high so she could run. Sakura quickly followed suit. Naruto and Shikamaru glanced at the girls and then at each other. People on the street blushed at the gilrs immodesty, Zakuro could see them whispering behind their hands but she didn't care. Gaara needed her and that was the only thing that mattered to her now. She had to tell him that she loved him and prayed that she would reach him before it was too late.

Authors Note- wipes brow Jeez have I ever mentioned I hate typing. I only just got to typing again and I'm sorry I'm so slow.

The title might seem kinda insignificant right now but it is important. And I couldn't change it when I thought of it you know?Anyway a little more insight into Zakuro's past back in the village. I told you Shikamaru would come in more later. I love Shikamaru dispite his lazy attitude. And I thought I'd keep with Dosu's death. (good idea to kill that one Kishimoto.) And I seriously must've screwed up Zakuro and Zaku at least 10 times. (which adds to the slowness of my typing.)

And HELLO Sasuke's snappped, which I believe really happened. Just because his ego was threatened by Naruto he has to go all evil on everyone. Whatever. (I don't like Sasuke. Pure opinion)

And please don't think I'm making Zakuro out to be you a two timer or anything. I got that fear when I was writing it. I'll give more insight into Zakuro and Sasuke's relationship later. I'll try to be faster with the next part.


	10. Chapter 10 Battle On The Balcony

Meanwhile Zaku had lead Sasuke and the others through the woods to the mansion

Meanwhile Zaku had lead Sasuke and the others through the woods to the mansion. They stared in horror at the bloody corpse that was Dosu. Sasuke however stared at the mansion, his hands clenched and unclenched his fury obvious. After a few tries they broke open the door (which had been locked at that time) and rushed in shouting at the top of their lungs. Their voices quickly died as they surveyed the empty hall that was as silent as a cemetery.

"O…kay," Kiba said skeptically. "This is throughly disappointing. Where's the Demon?"

"You can all take whatever you want, but leave the Demon to me." Sasuke's tone was so harsh that none of the other dared defy him. As the guys spread out to search the first floor Sasuke went up the stairs. His intuition told him that the Demon was near and as he walked through the hallway that feeling increased. When he reached a set of mohogany doors he felt the hair on the hair on the back of his neck stand on end and shivered from the cold coming from the room before him. The Demon was in there, he knew it. Kicking open the door he stepped into the freezing cold room, inside he saw broken glass scattered about the floor as well as the broken remnants of a chair and there in the balcony doorway stood the object of his hatred. "So you do exist." Sasuke said gazing at the red haired figure of a man.

Slowly the man turned to him. Sasuke's eyes widened and he couldn't keep a tremble of fear from running through his body. On one half of the man's pale face his skin was thick and sandy colored with purple veins running beneath it, which extended into a large ear that resembled a racoon's. The man scowled exposing sharp fangs on the same side of his jaw as his monsterous face. On the opposite side of his body his arm had the same look as his face and was as thick around as a tree trunk and ended with dagger like claws. However what frightened Sasuke the most was his eyes. The one blue one that was ringed with black was as cold as ice, the other was black with a golden iris and in them Sasuke could see all of the bloodshed that the Demon had caused.The man sounded irritated. "I don't have the patience to deal with you right now. I'll tell you once, leave my home now." He turned back to the balcony.

Sasuke's hands clenched into fists and he scoffed. "But you had patience enough for my brother didn't you?"

The man turned back and looked Sasuke over with those eyes. "I thought you looked familiar." He said, his voice emotionless. "I remember your brother, he wasn't much of a challenge. It was over far too quickly, I didn't get much enjoyment out of his death."

Sasuke's hands clenched so tight that his palms bled, his blood flowed freely, thick with his rage. "I've dreamed of this day, ever since my brother's death. The day I have my revenge and see you die." He ground his teeth together. "I never thought I would face you for another reason."

The Demon turned to face him. "And what might that reason be?" He sounded as bored as ever.

"The fate of the woman I love," Sasuke spat. "Zakuro Fujiwara. I've come to break whatever demonic spell you have over her."

The Demon was unfazed. He stared at Sasuke with those horrible eyes, standing as still as a monsterous statue. "I don't know what you're talking about." He said slowly, turning once more to the balcony.

"Really," Sasuke sneered. "Then why does this ring tell me otherwise?" Reaching into his pocket he threw the diamond ring to the Demon.

He caught it in his human hand, moving so quickly that it appeared as if he hadn't moved at all. Staring at it in his palm his eyes widened in disbelief. "Where did you get this?"

"From Zakuro."

The Demon's eyes never left the ring. "She…she just gave it away?"

Sasuke realized that he'd hit a weakness in that demon's façade. "Yes," He lied. "She couldn't stand to have it any longer. She told me that she didn't want anything to remind her of the monster she'd encountered. She went on to beg me to free her from the hold you have on her. 'Please,' she pleaded. 'I don't want to live in fear, he'll come for me and take me away from you Sasuke. Please save me from that monster.' And that's just what I plan to do, I made a promise to Zakuro to free her. And at long last my brother's soul will be at peace."

Gaara's long white fingers closed over the ring. He started breathing heavily, his hands trembling. He felt as if someone had plunged a knife through his heart, forming a wound so large that it would never heal. How could she? He had trusted Zakuro to keep the ring with her always and to remember the time they had shared. He had given more of his soul to her than he could've ever imagined that he could give to another person. He thought that she would've seen through his cold demeanor to how much he cared about her. But no, she'd broken a promise, she feared him, she thought he was a monster. Just like Yashamaru. And instead she loved another. Why did he expect anything else?

He turned to face the dark haired intruder. Gaara's pain instantly vanished, the hole in his heart numbing over. Once again he gave himself up to the darkness in his soul, craving that powerful ecstasy that killing could give him. His sharp eyes found the pulse point in the opponent's neck. It would be so easy to just rip out that annoying intruder's throat and watch his blood spill everywhere. Gaara felt a slow, cruel smile spread across his face and his body twitched with the desire to kill. He needed it, needed it like an addict needed a drug.

Sasuke stared him down. "I hope you're ready to die!"

Then Sasuke launched into the air and threw three kunai. He watched in horror as the Demon's monsterous arm shot out and caught the knives, slowly absorbing them then shooting them back at him. Sasuke put his arms up to protect his face, one of the knives just grazing his arm. Then the Demon swung that same arm, catching Sasuke he threw him to the far side of the balcony. Sasuke hit the ground hard and rolled a few feet. He quickly leap out of the way as the Demon leapt on him, the force of the attack shattered the stone balcony. Gaara looked up as stone fragments rained down around him to see Sasuke crouching on the wall above him, using his chakra to stick to the wall. Gaara then noticed that his opponent's eyes had turned a deep crimson red. This puzzled him, Gaara had never seen anything like that before. But then again his opponent had probably never seen anything like him before either.

Sasuke leapt from the wall, his leg extended for a kick. Gaara blocked it with his human arm. Sasuke quickly put his hands to the balcony, using thme for support he twisted his body around. Gaara tried to block again but Sasuke was faster, landing a kick square in his chest. His monsterous arm kept him from falling, slowing his momentum he slid to a stop. The wind momentarily knocked out of him he caught his breath and looked into those red eyes. Gaara then realized something. "Those eyes. He's not just anticipating my attacks," He thought. "He's tracking my movements"

Putting my hands in front of him Sasuke made a series of hand signs. "Fire style," He thought. "Dragon flame jutsu." His chakra burned it's way up his throat, becoming flames he blew a fire storm at Gaara.

His demonic arm writhed and stretched shrouding Gaara like a cacoon, protecting him. Inside his defense he chuckled maliciously, this may be more fun than he thought.

In the meantime Zakuro and the others were still making their way through the woods. The sun had gone down and the moonlight gave them little id in seeing the path. Zakuro had finished explaining the last few days to Shikamaru who proceeded to ask a series of embarassing questions. How far she and Gaara had gone for example, making her blush bright red and mumble that now was not the time for that. But now the cold had slowly worked back into Zakuro's body and her cough had come back. She started to cough uncontrollably, a horrible gut retching cough. "Hole on you guys," She said between coughs. "I've got to stop for a minute." Zakuro leaned against a tree, coughing into her hand until her throat felt like it was on fire.

Shikamaru held her shoulders. "Hey are you okay Z?" He asked worriedly.

Zakuro shook her head.

Sakura stepped over to her. "Tilt your head back and let me see your throat." Zakuro gave her a questioning look. "Just do it." Sakura said and Zakuro did as she said. Sakura's fingers gently probed her neck with the finesse of a doctor. Zakuro swallowed thickly, her throat felt raw again. Sakura nodded as if she'd wanted her to do that.

"Well," Naruto asked, looking over at them. "What's your diagnosis, Sakura?"

"Nothing major." Sakura answered. "A minor sore throat and cough, probably brought on by the cold weather. Hold still Zakuro." Sakura placed her hand against Zakuro's throat, palm open. Slowly her hand started to glow green and Zakuro could feel the chakra flow from Sakura's palm to her throat. Sakura pulled her hand back. "Better?"

"Yeah." Zakuro rubbed her neck, her throat felt better than ever actually. "You're a healer, aren't you Sakura?"

She smiled triumphantly. "Have been all my life. My family have all been healers for generations." Sakura gestured to Naruto. "And trust me if your gonna live with this clumsy moron you'd better have some medical knowledge."

Naruto jerked out of his leaning position against a tree. Pointing a finger at Sakura he said. "Hey that was an accident."

"You're just lucky I was able to sew that finger back on." She smirked.

Looking at his index finger Naruto bent it twice. "It was an accident."

"How about the time you got a shard of glass in your back?"

Naruto pouted. "Accident." He mumbled.

Sakura rolled her eyes. Looking at Shikamaru and Zakuro she said. "See what I have to deal with." They laughed while Naruto crossed his arms across his chest and sulked.

Continuing on they reached the clearing where the mansion sat. It was pitch black out now and bathed in the moonlight the mansion looked positivly creepy. Lying vivid in the pale blue light on the bridge was Dosu's mutilated corpse. Sakura looked away, Naruto placed and arm around her and shikamaru cringed. Zakuro placed a hand over her mouth, fighting back the urge to be sick. She stared into dosu's dead unseeing eye until her vision blurred and tears streamed down her cheeks. She'd never liked Dosu but he didn't deserve to die. Could Gaara really have done this and all of the other deaths that the ledgend told about? "Why Gaara?" Zakuro whispered.

Hurrying to the door they found them open, one of them hanging off its hinges. Inside Kiba and the others were looting the mansion, taking anything of value.

"Hey who invited you?!" Naruto yelled.

The guys put down whatever they had and grouped together in a semi-circle opposite them. On the floor at Kiba's feet Akamaru growled, his white fur standing up. "We need no invitation to make that Demon regret his cruelties to our village." Kiba sneered. "Right now Sasuke is taking care of him, it shouldn't be much longer now. In the meantime we're ensuring that-"

Sakura cut him off. "That what? You creeps get your instant gratification?" Kiba's eyes narrowed at her.

"Exactly." Shikamaru said. "I can't believe you guys." His eyes found those of his bestfriend, Choji.

"We could say the same about you Shikamaru." Kiba growled. "Why are you going against us for this..this girl?" He gestured to Zakuro, who scowled at him.

Choji looked away from Shikamaru's gaze. "Girl or not she's my friend and unlike you she's doing the right thing." Shikamaru said. "She's thinking of others before herself instead of self-serving, like our village has always upheld. And like the ways of our village have always taught I'm loyal to her just as she is loyal to her friends." He gestured to Naruto and Sakura. "I trust her word and I admire how her heart is always in the right place. You guys should be ashamed of yourselves for not realizing that sooner. Those who set the precedents of our village are turning in their graves at your sheer foolishness."

Zakuro's heart swelled and she cried even harder. "Shikamaru." She whispered.

He glanced back at her and smiled. She couldn't ask for a better friend.

Then the guys started slowly closing the gap between them, some pulled out kunai, Zakuro could see Neji's byakugan emerge and Kiba bared his fangs at them. The air became heavy and staticy with chakra.

"Zakuro," Sakura mumbled trying not to move her lips too much. "You need to go find Gaara before this turns ugly."

"Where do you think he is?" She asked.

Naruto glanced at her. "Probably in his room. He went upstairs before we left to find you."

Shikamaru smiled. "Go get your demon, Z."

"When I tell you to," Sakura crouched in a fightning pose, like the Kiba ans the others had done with Naruto and Shikamaru following suit. "Run upstairs and don't stop. We'll take care of these guys."

Zakuro counted the ranks. "I can't leave you guys, you're out numbered." She hissed.

Naruto grinned. "Not for long." He looked at her. "Go Zakuro , he needs you."

Zakuro looked at the floor, her lips tembling. "Thank you so much you guys." Her voice was thick with tears. "Please be careful."

"We will." Sakura said. "Get ready." Zakuro crouched too. "Go!"

Author's Note- Heh heh kinda funny story behind this part. :) While I was writing the battle scene between Sasuke and Gaara ( which i think I'm no good with fight scenes) guess what song come on my Ipod. Down With The Sickness by Disturbed. And I'm all like how perfect is that? perfect for their fight scene. :) Hahaha I love that song.

On another note sorry this part is so short and a little for the cliffhanger but not a lot. The next part is going to be long (I think) so I decided to stop here. Gaara you poor baby! :( don't you just wanna hug him. He's been hurt too many times. I still love him. Yes I'm a crazy fangirl. and damn proud of it!! ;) and how sweet is Shikamaru right here? He'd totally be my bestfriend if he were real. and also i'm not very fulent with the Medical Ninja ways so if my description of Sakura's abilities are wrong i apologize.

so I will continue with the next part shortly. till then this has been KazeKunoichi signing off (salutes like the geek she is) LOL :D


	11. Chapter 11 One Last Attack

Zakuro raced up the stairs, dodging two shuriken. She saw Sakura take out her attacker with a swift round-about kick. Sakura really knew how to fight. Reaching the landing, she looked down to see at least five shadow clone Narutos all fighting different opponents ( So that's what he meant when he said they wouldn't out numbered for long.) and Shikamaru had Kiba caught in his shadow possesion jutsu. "Be careful you guys." She thought before racing down the hall.

Outside on the balcony snow had started to fall in large flakes, clinging to the clothes and hair of the two men kneeling on the cold stone. Gaara panted and glared at Sasuke, who returned it. The two were both battered and bleeding. Gaara had returned to normal, his shirt sleeve torn open exposing his lean muscled arm and part of his chest. He was reaching his limits, he knew it. He was surprised though not many could've survived this long against him and no one had ever pushed him this far. "I'll give you credit boy," He growled. "You're tougher than you look. Who are you anyway?"

Sasuke gave him an icy smile. "I am Sasuke Uchiha."

Gaara smiled his own cruel smile. "Well, Sasuke Uchiha you're making this quite interesting. I haven't met a challenge like you in over a hundred years." He felt his pulse quicken and his hands start to twitch. He wanted to kill. He remebered how the deaths before had all been bittersweet, the feeling fading too quickly and giving way to the pain. Still this boy was different, he was more powerful than any adversary Gaara had gone against. Gaara really was fighting for his life now. He would show that Uchiha boy just what he had started, he would make him pay. "It's going to be a pleasure to watch the life drain from those crimson eyes of yours, all your dreams crushed in seconds." Sasuke must've seen something in his eyes because for a second he fliched.

"Gaara!"

Gaara was just about to mave to attack Sasuke when a voice called out his name. His heart seemed to stop dead in his chest. Whipping around he saw her, the angel who had stumbled into his life only three days ago. She rushed over to him, nearly toppling the table that still held that black rose. Only one petal remained on its wilting form. The wind caught her white dress and hair making her look even more beautiful as if she'd just fallen from heaven. Crouching beside him she took his face in her warm hands and brushed at his hair on his bloody forehead. Her blue eyes were filled with tears, making them sparkle in the moonlight and she was trembling.

"Are you okay?" She nearly sobbed.

"Zakuro, you…you came back?" Gaara couldn't believe it but she was here, holding that beautiful face so close to his. She didn't seem afraid or repulsed, she just seemed worried.

"Of course I did, I couldn't leave you alone like that." Her mouth trembled and she bit her full lower lip. "I'm sorry for what I said before. I didn't mean it."

Gaara put a finger to her lips. "I know." Reaching up he caught one of her tears. "I'm sorry too." She gave a small sob before touching her lips to his.

"So it is true."

Gasping Zakuro turned. "Sasuke!" Her eyes found his bloody arm and the cut on his cheek. He was hurt, they both were and it was because of her.

"I can't believe this Zakuro!" Sasuke said accusingly. "You came here for him!" He raged.

Zakuro stood and raised her hands in front of her in an attempt to calm him down. "Please just let me explain Sasuke." She pleaded, but then she stopped. She'd felt Gaara's muscles tense and heard his breathing lose its rhythm. Looking down at him she saw that he had his icy stare fixed on Sasuke. Zakuro felt a tremor of fear run through her, her worst nightmare was coming true.

"Fine then," Sasuke snapped. "Explain how you can love that…that monster!"

Zakuro looked back at Gaara, he had his face turned away from her. He looked ashamed of himself. She realized now that this was the pain he was always talking about. The only reason he was alone in the first place is because no one had ever given him a chance, they were too focused on what he was rather than who he is. It was no wonder he didn't want people around him, he was afraid of being hurt again. "At first he seemed cold and remote but then I came to see that it was just a charade, a mask that he would hide behind." She finally said. "It was if he didn't know how to be close to another person after being hurt so much in his past. However with me he was different, he was kind and gentle. I see now that all he wanted was acceptance, he didn't want to be so lonely anymore. He thought that he could've made it on his own, but he was wrong. He wanted something else too. He wanted to be loved for the person that he is." Gaara had turned back to her, his blue eyes wide and soft. Stepping in front of him she faced Sasuke. "And I won't let you hurt him."

Sasuke's eyes narrowed in anger. "Why Zakuro?! Why would you choose someone else over me, the one who's always been there for you?! I've always loved you, ever since we were children! I meant it that dat all those years ago when I said I'd marry you! Why don't you love me?!"

Zakuro looked at the gound, hiding the tears that threatened to fall. Sasuke's expression blackened at her silence. She felt Gaara stiffen behind her.

"Zakuro you shouldn't be here." He muttered

Whipping around she looked at him. "What?"

His face was turned away from her again. She noticed the pain in his voice and his breathing had taken on a strange heaviness. "It's not safe for you here. This isn't your fight, just get out of here."

Zakuro knelt beside him. "I don't care. I'm not leaving you." She insisted.

Gaara slowly shook his head. "Zakuro please…"

"I won't leave you." Her tone was final.

"Please," He pleaded. "Don't torture me like this." She could see tremors running through Gaara's body. His chest heaved with his ragged breathing and his hands clawed at the stone balcony. Then his face contorted in pain and he clenched his eyes shut, like he was tuggling against some unseen force.

Zakuro's breathing started moving toward hyperventlation. "Gaara…" Putting a hand on his back she cried out and pulled back. Even through his clothes his body was so searing cold that it burnt her hand like frostbite.

"Zakuro," Gaara turned his face to her. His eyes were still soft and in them she could see pain, a pain that sent a stab through her heart. "I don't want to hurt you." His voice shook as he whispered slowly. The tears is Zakuro's eyes fell, trailing slowly down her ivory cheeks. But then Gaara doubled over screaming. The tremors in his body worsened and he wrapped his arms around his chest as if trying to keep himself together.

"Gaara what is it? What's wrong?" Zakuro's voice was tight with fear. What was happening to him?

Sasuke realized what Gaara was holding back and why. "Oh I see now," He said with a sneer. "She doesn't know what you really are, does she?"

"You shut up!" Gaara barked, glaring at Sasuke. Screaming again his hads flew to his head.

Tenatively with her hand shaking in fear and worry Zakuro reached out to touch him again. But Gaara moved away from her. "Don't." He hissed through clenched teeth.

"Gaara…" She whispered before gasping and drawing back. The right side of his face looked as if it had cracked and was slowly crumbling away. Beneath it she could she thick sandy colored skin. Backing a few feet away she stared in open mouthed horror as Gaara threw back his head and screamed in pain. The skin on his left arm seemed to writhe before exploding into a huge monsterous clawed tantacle, with the same sand-like look as his face. After taking a few deep breaths Gaara stood, squaring his shoulders. As Zakuro gazed up at him she found that she wasn't afraid, but rather entranced. Her eyes took in how he held himself, tall and strong. The same way he had always stood, with the ability to command a room without uttering a word. She looked at the inticate purple veins running under the skin of his face and arm.

"You see Zakuro! You see what he really is?!" Sasuke shouted.

Reluctantly Gaara looked down at her. At first Zakuro flinched at the sight of that golden eye, immediately feeling all the blood shed it had seen, all the dreams it had destroyed. But then she saw all the pain that his eyes held, all the sadness and lonliness. As her tears fell her eyes truly opened. She didn't see a monster, she saw a man. Gaara was no different now than he had been only moments ago. "Yes I do see." She said. Gaara seemed to understand what she meant for his eyes (even that golden one) softened and he smiled gently at her. (The right side of his mouth slightly distorted by his fangs.)

Zakuro could just see a flicker of movement in her peripheral vision, but Gaara percieved it first and quicker than she could've imagined darted in front of her. Then she heard it, the whistle if the blades as they spun through the air and then it stopped. Gaara's body lurched from the force but he didn't flinch. He had used his body to shield her and one of the footlong blades of Sasuke's demon (ironic) wind shuriken stuck out of his back. Calmly Gaara reached back with his human arm and removed the shuriken. Again he didn't flinch. Zakuro gasped at the sight of the blood that covered blade from end to end. Slowly turning to Sasuke, Gaara lifted the shuriken to throw it, but Zakuro caught his icy cold arm. "No." She said. Gaara looked at her hating the pain in her eyes. "Please don't." Gaara snapped the weapon shut and dropped it on the ground.

Sasuke sneered. "That's right Demon, go lay down in the corner while the humans talk."

Gaara growled deep in his throat, but Zakuro's voice cut him off. "Sasuke shut up!" Gaara was surprised by the power in her tone. Turning to look at her he saw that she was trembling with fury.

Sasuke shrugged, uncaringly as ever. "Okay then," He said. "I'll just talk with my hands." Then he started forming hand signs, preparing another fire attack. But suddenly Zakuro's hands were on his, her speed startling the two men.

"Please stop this." She tried to sound strong but the words came out as a sob. "I'm begging you Sasuke."

"Marry me and I'll let him live." Sasuke said coldly.

Zakuro blinked, his words didn't seem to register in her head. "What?" she mumbled.

Sasuke spoke slowly. "If you marry me I'll leave here peacefully and let the Demon live."

Her heart beat wildly in her chest, threatening to break through her ribs. Zakuro's mind reeled back to the past three days. She recalled Gaara's every word to her and the feelings that he inspired in her. She loved him with a passion that she once believed only existed in books. Looking back over her shoulder at him she saw that his emotionless mask was back. As Gaara stood silent and unmoving she could see that he was allowing her to decide on her own, he wasn't going to say a word against her. Turning back to Sasuke she remembered their childhood together, how once they were inseperable. It seemed so long ago. She did love Sasuke, but it was only the love between two children. Zakuro also hated what Sasuke had become. His thrist for vengence had destroyed the boy that she loved. Looking up into the blazing red eyes of Sasuke's sharingan she saw that same thirst. With tears streaming down her face, sparkling in the moonlight she shook her head. "I can't." She sobbed. "I'm so sorry Sasuke."

Sasuke's face darkened. "So am I Zakuro." The venom in his voice cut through her heart like a knife. Suddenly Sasuke's hands left hers. One shot out and caught her in the stomach, throwing her into the balcony door. The glass shattered and Zakuro fell in a heap on the ground. The broken glass surrounded her, covering her body and catching in her hair.

Gaara froze, watching a shard of glass slice through her cheek and blood instantly rise from the cut. Sasuke, who had also been gazing at Zakuro's fallen form had to quickly leap out of the way to avoid Gaara's attack. His demonic arm shattered the stone where Sasuke had just stood. Looking up Gaara met Sasuke's eyes. "You. How dare you!" Gaara roared at him. "You claim to love her and yet you would hurt her like that!"

"Hmph." Sasuke sneered. "What is it to you anyway, Demon?" He refused to call Gaara by his name. "What is Zakuro to you?"

Gaara tensed, that was a good question. He thought about Zakuro's smile, the way it seemed to melt his icy heart, her laugh and her voice. When he had heard her sing he had felt…peaceful. Something he'd never thought he'd feel again. He thought of her words before, she did understand him and she was willing to accept him. "I love her." Gaara finally said.

"Ha!" Sasuke scoffed. "A creature like you is incabable of love. Whatever possessed you to think that a girl as beauitful as Zakuro could ever love a monster like you is beyond me."

"You're quite the monster yourself, Sasuke Uchiha." Gaara said calmly.

"What?" Sasuke's eyes narrowed.

"Why do't you let Zakuro choose who she wants, instead of forcing her to love you by killing me."

Sasuke cocked an eyebrow. "Sure, and you'd be just fine if she chose me." He said skeptically.

"I would want her to be happy." Gaara answered. "I would respect her decision even if she didn't choose me. That's how much I love her."

Sasuke looked pissed. "Why would she choose you over me? I've known her all her life and you've known her what three days?" His voice slowly gained volume. "I could give her the world! If she married me she would be an Uchiha, a member of the most respected family in our village! I'd give her my soul, a home and a family!"

Gaara cocked his own lack of eyebrow. "And what makes you think that I couldn't give her those things?"

"Let me rephrase that, a human family." Sasuke spat.

Gaara growled a menacing sound that came from deep in his chest. Baring his fangs at Sasuke he snapped. "You're right I'm not human but unbelievable as it may seem to you, Uchiha I still retain humanity. I've learned to love when before all I knew was hate. I know what I am and I know the risk that Zakuro runs whenever she's near me because of my instability. I kill to survive I know that very well, but that doesn't make me immune to emotion. I surpress it because if I were to let my emotions get out of control, I lose control." He lifted his demonic arm. "Still I have one very important human quality, self control. Which is the only thing keeping me from tearing you to pieces right now!"

Sasuke shrugged. "Not that it matters much anyway, Demon." He paused, glaring at Gaara with pure hatred. Then when he raised his right arm, Gaara blinked in shock. Sasuke's hand trembled, shrouded in blue it shot sparks into the night.

"How is his chakra visible?" Gaara thought. The attack also seemed to generate a sound. He had once read that pure chakra, when controlled correctly produced a sound like a thousand birds chirping. That was the sound he heard now.

Narrowing his blazing eyes at Gaara, Sasuke screamed. "You won't be able to love anyone if you're dead!" Then brandishing his arm like a blade he charged at Gaara at an incredible speed, tearing up the stone where his arm grazed the balcony.

Sluggishly Zakuro raised her head. She could feel sharp pin pricks of pain in her back and shoulders. She saw the glass around her and remembered Sasuke's attack. Looking up Zakuro gasped, her heart skipping a beat. Sasuke was charging at Gaara, moving at an unbelievable speed. His right arm was extended and aiming for Gaara's heart, his hand pulsing bright blue with chakra. She heard the sound, the birds. That was Sasuke's chidori, the strongest attack in his arsenal. Gaara couldn't survive that, could he? It didn't matter. True to her word Zakuro wasn't going to let him get hurt. Standing up she igonred the pain in her back and the fresh cuts in her hands. She didn't even hear the glass shards fall from her clothes and hair landing on the balcony with soft plinking noises. All she could hear was the chirping of a thousand birds and the pounding of her heartbeat in her ears.

Years ago Zakuro had met a drifter woman named Tsunade who had stopped in the village for a short time. Tsunade had actually been a friend of her father's and stayed with them for the time she'd spent. During that time Zakuro had become close to Tsunade, admiring her wit and her many talents. In return Tsunade had taught Zakuro how to utilize and control her chakra in order to fight. Zakuro had never told Sasuke about it. It wasn't proper for women to know how to fight, which was one reason why Tsunade was a nomad.

But now Zakuro sent a burst of chakra to the soles of her feet and ran with a speed that rivaled Sasuke's. Placing herself in front of Gaara she stood firm.

Sasuke's eyes widened and he tried to stop his attack but inertia had his moving too fast.

Behind her Gaara was shocked. "What is she thinking?"

Sasuke still fought to stop his chidori and the force was just starting to give way, however he didn't know what kind of backlash it could have. But it was too late, everything happened so fast that even Gaara couldn't have stopped it. Zakuro's scream of pain shattered the night. Sasuke's hand sunk into Zakuro's chest. Blood immediately rose from the wound, soaking his fingers. Placing her hands to his chest Zakuro ventured a look into Sasuke's eyes. Those crimson eyes were comsumed by a need for revenge. Using the strength that Tsunade had taught her Zakuro shoved Sasuke away. He flew backward, tearing up the balcony as he went before finally smashing through the side and falling into the darkness below.

Author's Note: I don't have much to say today besides...1: yes most of the injuries in here seems kinda unrealistic. sorry. 2: Yes the part concerning Tsunade was a last minute add. I needed an explanition for Zakuro's strength at the end. 3: I love Gaara and Zakuro's speech in here comes right from my heart. so bye for now until the next chapter.


	12. Chapter 12 The Angel and The Demon

Zakuro fell to her knees, gasping for breath. Putting her hands to her chest she felt blood seep through her fingers, warm and wet. Her beautiful white dress was quickly soaked and clung to her slim frame. Her head started to spin and her vision blurred, the rich metallic smell made her stomach turn. Coughing she watched as blood poured from her mouth, splattering her dress and falling onto the stone. Gasping again she pitched forward and a stong arm caught her.

Gaara's face swam into view. He held her close, his body unbelievably cold. He looked angry with her. "Why did you do that? What were you thinking, Zakuro?"

"I was thinking that I didn't want you to get hurt." Zakuro let her arms fall heavily at her sides, revealing the deep red stain and the grisly wound over her heart. Her breathing was labored, she felt so tired.

Gaara shook his head and let out an irritated sigh. "Zakuro do you have any idea what I can withstand? That would've been nothing." Gaara's heart clenched at his lie. That attack actually could've torn him up just as badly as it did her, maybe even worse.

"Does it matter?" Zakuro coughed again and trickle of blood stayed on her lips. "Gaara I have to tell you something."

"It will have to wait untill later." He placed his hand to the wound on her chest and applied pressure, hoping to stop the bleeding. This wound was hemorraging quickly.

Zakuro winced in pain. "For all you know there might not be a later." She couldn't tell if she was growing colder or if it was the closeness of Gaara's body.

Gaara's face fell and his eyes went wide. "N-no..no," He stammered. "You…you can't leave me."

"I don't want to leave you." Zakuro tried to push back the dark clouds pressing into her vision, threatening to pull her under. Nearly crying out in pain she lifted herself up in his arms. Putting a trembling hand to Gaara's demonic face she gently caressed his cheek. His skin was thick and felt like sand paper underneath her bloody fingers. His blue eyes looked even softer in the moonlight as he placed his bloody hand over hers. Gaara opened his mouth to speak but she closed it with a kiss. Her other hand went to his neck as her tongue slid between his lips. His human arm tightened around her, pulling her close against him, his mouth pressing harder against hers. He could taste the blood in her mouth. They kissed again and again untill Zakuro's lips felt frozen. Pulling back Zakuro took in the tears forming in the corners of his eyes and felt hers fall down her cheeks. They were both breathing heavily. "I love you Gaara. No matter what." After placing a kiss to the kanji on his forehead she rested her head on his chest.

At that exact moment the last petal fell form that black rose in Gaara's room. Many of the petals were dull and shriveled up at the bottom of the case, their beauty fading. The same way that the beauty of the night seemed to shrivel up when the sun rose.

Gaara was still breathing heavily, holding Zakuro close with his face pressed into her hair. He clould feel the sting of tears in his eyes and laughed bitterly inside. He couldn't remember the last time he had cried. That Uchiha boy had lied to him, Zakuro did love him. She had come back here to tell him so and risked her life to protect him. "Zakuro." He whispered, his heart aching in his chest. She didn't respond. "Zakuro?" His breath caught. He could sense Zakuro's heartbeat slowing rapidly and her breathing came in shallow gasps. She was dying.

He looked at her face, she was ghostly pale. "No! No you can't die Zakuro!" Gaara held his face close to hers. "Please don't leave me!" He sobbed, his tears falling onto her face and hair. Suddenly he was a child again, cowering in a dark corner frightened and alone. He had always been alone, but what choice did he have. No one had ever loved him. Unitll now. "I don't want to be alone anymore! Please Zakuro you can't leave me! Don't leave me alone! I need you! I love you Zakuro!" After giving another sob, he began taking deep breaths to regain his composure. He could feel his stability waver, pacing just below the surface. He couldn't risk losing control now. Still trying to keep his power in check Gaara kissed her face and hair. "Don't leave me." He whispered.

Author's note Ok short part with a hell of a cliffhanger. Sorry if I seem like if i'm being mean to you guys. I'll get the next chapter up as soon as I can. I wanted this chapter to have this name and the next part doesn't have anything really to do with that. I've realized that it must just be a writer's thing.

I know, I know my take on Zakuro's injury is prolly wrong and a little unrealistic. I went a little crazy with the blood I know. It just made it more dramatic. I suggest that when you read this listen to Breaking Benjamin's Breath. I love that song and whenever I hear it now i think of this story. Some of the aspects of the song will fit in more later. Okay bye for now.


	13. Chapter 13 The Village

Back in the foyer Sakura dodged another onslaught of shuriken with a swift roundoff, landing slightly next to Shikamaru. Using his shadow clones Naruto kicked Kiba high into the air. "Na-ru-to Uzumaki Barrage!" Landing a kick hard in Kiba's face he slammed him to the floor.

Shikamaru in the meantime had a couple of guys caught in his Shadow Possesion Jutsu. Then in the corner of his eye he saw a huge green boulder rolling at an incredible speed at the trapped guys. Quickly severing his shadow's hold Shikamaru watched the boulder scatter the guys then bounce into the air. Choji landed beside Shikamaru and straightening his green shirt smiled at him, which Shikamaru returned. They had used that strategy since they were kids, Shikamaru would trap their opponent and then Choji would mow them down with his Human Boulder Jutsu. Still smiling Shikamaru said. "Had a change of heart?"

Choji's smile fell and he looked at the floor shamefully. "I'm sorry Shikamaru. I don't know what I was thinking. Can you ever forgive me?"

Shikamaru placed a hand on his friend's shoulder. Choji looked up at him. "Are you kidding? You're my best friend Choji, of course I forgive you. We all make stupid mistakes," He grinned. "And this wouldn't be your first." Choji smiled at him.

"Uh, guys we still have a battle going on here." Naruto said, backing toward them. One arm dangled limply at his side.

Kiba and the others were advancing toward them. "Traitor!" Kiba barked at Choji, swiping at his bloody nose.

Sakura and Naruto kept retreating. "Any ideas you guys?" Sakura muttered. She was out of chakra and by the look of it so was Naruto.

"Shikamaru?" Choji glanced at him.

Shikamaru shook his head. "I don't have enough time to think this one out." Still he went into his thinking position, kneeling on the floor and putting his hands together at the fingertips. Shikamaru was the best strategist here, maybe even in the whole village. His I.Q. was easily genius and he knew how to handle any situation and find a logical action. With his eyes closed he looked at their situation and started thining of a solution. Then Shikamaru felt the air in the room change, making the hair on his arms bristle and the cold taste of fear fill his mouth. He felt the others fear as well as they stiffened and shuddered. Choji wimpered in fear. "What is it?" Shikamaru asked, wary of the answer.

Naruto's voice was strained. "Shikamaru open your eyes."

Obliging, Shikamaru's brown eyes went wide. At the top of the stairs stood the Demon with Zakuro lying in his arms. Shikamaru marveled to find that the Demon looked human but then partly distorted into a monsterous form. The right half of his face was the color of sand and developed into a large animal like ear, the arm that held Zakuro looked the same, huge and twisted. His eyes pierced Shikamaru to his core, one blue and encircled with the dark bags of one who hadn't slept in days and the other a golden iris against ebony. He regarded the intruders in his home with an emotionless face, but his gaze was so powerful that no one dared make a movement because terror had them frozen. Zakuro had been mortally wounded, lying limply in his grasp and looking ghostly pale. They were both covered in blood.

Zaku slowly backed away, horrified. Shikamaru remembered that Zaku had watched Dosu get killed by this man. Akamaru growled deep in his throat, his fangs bared at Gaara. With his white fur bristling he charged toward the stairs. However upon reaching them he stopped short. Sniffing the air he whimpered and then took off back toward Kiba. "Akamaru?" This frighthened Kiba. Akamaru had the ability to sniff out the level of an opponents chakra and he had never reacted this way. The small white dog cowered at his feet, trembling and whining. Kiba knelt down and petted him. "Are you alright, boy?" akamaru just kept shaking. Turning to Gaara Kiba bared his fangs. Growling he charged and twisted his body, becoming a torpedo of fangs and claws headed straight for Gaara.

For a brief second Shikmaru saw the Demon's eyes roll toward the ceiling and he sighed as if was annoyed. Then his hand shot out, stopping Kiba dead by his throat. Kiba clawed at the hand that held him, drawing blood but the Demon didn't waver. Gazing at Kiba his eyes flashed a warning before releasing him. It appeared as if he hadn't used any force but Kiba crashed down into the foyer with such force that many of the others fliched, their mouths hangin open in horror. Kiba rubbed his throat and coughed with Akamaru mumble growling worriedly at him. The guys looked from Kiba to the Demon, his eyes flashed that same warning. Just like when he had stared down that pack of wolves the guys all retreated, fleeing out the door.

Choji gave another cry before following the others. "Choji?" Shikamaru called after him. He let it go, he knew how Choji could be when he was scared.

Naruto stood in the doorway laughing. "Cowards!" He shouted through his laughter. "And don't come back!"

"My god, what happened?!"

Naruto was jarred from his jeering by Sakura's worried exclaimation. Turning from the door he saw Gaara at the foot of the stairway and Sakura already inspecting the wound on Zakuro's chest. Gaara's voice sounded strained, like he was holding something back. "She got in between that boy Sasuke and me." He answered.

Sakura's face froze, her fingers pausing over the wound. "You mean…, did you…?" She ventured a look at his face, unable to speak what she was thinking.

"No, absolutely not." He practically shouted. "I would never hurt her like this."

Sakura nodded after catching the look in his eyes. "I believe you."

"Thank you." Gaara replied, his voice gaining a softer tone. "Can you help her Sakura?"

"Well yes but I have to act fast. She's lost a lot of blood already and the wound is still hemorraging." Sakura hurried toward the wing of the mansion that belonged to the servants with Gaara following her and Naruto and Shikamaru right behind him. Entering the room on her right Sakura flipped on the switch on the wall and bright, florescent light filled the room. One half of the room resembled a patients room of a hospital with two beds separated by a curtain and the other an operating room. The walls were painted stark white with cabinets lining them. The room smelled of antiseptic.

"Set her over here." Sakura pointed to the operating table. Then she started rummaging through the cabinets getting out the tools she might need.

Gaara gently laid Zakuro on the table. He brushed her bangs away from her face, leaving reddish-brown trails of blood on her forehead. She was as pale as he is now and the warmth of her skin that he had grown to love was gone. He watched her shallow breathing make her chest rise and fall ever so slightly. Worry felt like bile in his throat. What if Sakura couldn't save her? What if Zakuro died? He would never see her blush again, never see the kindness in her eyes and never hear her laugh again. He blinked the tears out of his eyes. Taking her hand in his he gave it a gentle squeeze before pressing it to his lips.

"Are you gonna need a hand Sakura?" Naruto asked from the doorway.

"I might. Don't go too far incase I do, ok?" She answered. Naruto nodded and walked out the door. Sakura took in the sight of Gaara holding Zakuro's hand close to his heart. His eyes hadn't left her. "You know," Gaara's eyes flashed to hers. Sakura swallowed thickly before continuing. "You're going to have to leave her alone while I do this." Gaara glared at her and she felt a familiar tremor of fear run through her. Turning from him Sakura took a deep breath and summoning all her courage marched up to him. Looking Gaara right in the eye she said. "If you want her to live, you'll leave." At first his gaze didn't waver but then she saw him soften. Gaara looked down at Zakuro for a long moment before placing a kiss on her forehead. Without a word he was out the door.

Outside the make-shift hospital Gaara sat against the wall with his eyes closed. He softly beat the back of his head against it, trying to clear his mind. He had to calm down before he lost control. The prowling in his head finally stopped. He was in control, for now. He heard a hiss of pain and opened his eyes. Naruto sat against the wall opposite him cradling his arm and wincing. "What happened to you?" Gaara asked.

"I think my arm's broken." Naruto replied. He tried to move it and cried out. "Ah, yeah it's broken."

"I'm not surprised," Gaara turned his attention to an unknown young man, his black hair was pulled back at the top of his head and his eyes held a lazy expression. "It was broken over the stairway." He chuckled and shook his head.

"Who are you?" Gaara asked him.

"Shikamaru." The man answered. "I'm Z's…Zakuro's friend." He gestured with his thumb to the door of the hospital. Gaara nodded. "Um… not to sound rude or anything," He continued, sounding uncomfortable. "But Z didn't mention anything about…" He gestured to Gaara, looking pointedly at his monsterous physique. "I'm guessing that you don't always look like that?"

Gaara looked sullenly at his twisted hand, slowlt clenching and unclenching his claws. Then his breathing caught in his chest, he siezed up as his teeth clenched against the blazing pain in his body. Shikamaru took a step toward him but Naruto got on his feet and stopped Shikamaru with a hand on his chest. Shikamaru glanced at Naruto who gave him a wary look. Looking back at Gaara Shikamaru watched in shock as his skin pulsed and writhed before turning to a normal human appearance. Sighing Gaara opened his eyes which were now both blue and said while giving Shikamaru a skeptical look. "To answer your question, no I don't always look like that." He tenderly rubbed his sore cheek. The change always left him aching for a while.

"So," Naruto said slowly. "Sir-"

"Gaara."

Naruto stopped, startled by his master's tone at allowing him to use his name. He looked into Gaara's eyes who regared him calmly. Naruto smiled a little before continuing. "Gaara, what happened up there anyway?"

Gaara sighed again casting a glance at the wall behind him where Zakuro lay possibly dying. Standing he told Naruto and Shikamaru of Sasuke's plan for revenge admitting that he had been the cause of his brother's death. Then went on to explain the vent up till Sasuke's fall from the balcony. He downplayed some of his and Zakuro's words to each other and his "addiction" to killing. When he finished the two looked equally shocked.

"Damn." Naruto breathed.

Shikamaru shook his head. "I just can't believe it. Has Sasuke completely lost his mind?"

Gaara shrugged. "He was driven by revenge. That has a way of destroying a person, turning them into a meer shadow of who they once were."

"I just can't belive it." Shikamaru repeated sadly.

"Do you think he survived the fall?" Naruto asked Gaara.

"Hard to say," He said. "He fell awfully close to the ravine. I should go look for him."

"I'll go with you." Shikamaru said.

Naruto held up his good hand. "I have to stay and help Sakura."

Gaara nodded before looking at his torn shirt. He fingered the shredded sleeve and scowled. He'd torn through so many shirts before. "I'll be right back." Then he disappeared, startling Shikamaru.

Shikamaru looked at Naruto who was unmoved. Naruto laughed. "He does that all the time." Together they wandered out to the foyer. Shikamaru found his lantern where Zakuro had left it. Picking it up he pulled a match from the box in his pocket and lit the iwck inside. He would need it in the dark outside.

"Ready?" Shikamaru jumped, the lantern nearly falling from his hand. Whiping around he found Gaara behind him. "Sorry," He said. "I didn't mean to startle you." He was already dressed in a crisp black suit that contrasted against his pale skin. A black cloak lay over his shoulder and the hood was pulled up over his red hair. It hid most of his face in shadow but still Shikamaru could feel those eyes studying him. They gazed at him not so viciously as before but still distastefully and maybe even a little cautious, like a wild animal watching a hunter.

"It's okay." Shikamaru said. Gaara turned and walked to the door, the cloak billowing around him.

Shikamaru followed him but Naruto stopped him with a hand on his shoulder, whispering low into his ear he said. "Watch yourself around him. He's very unstable right now. Try to avoid saying anything that might set him off," Then he added quickly. "If you value your life. You might have to calm him down or hold him back."

"I understand." And he did. There was something about Gaara that made him curious, like a pitch black room where you have to find out just what's inside. Gaara was waiting in the doorway with an expression on his face that told them he'd heard their every word.

After Shikamaru joined him at the door Gaara went to step outside but was stopped by Naruto's voice. "Sir-Gaara," Turning to him Gaara met Naruto's steady gaze. "Zakuro's going to be alright. You'll see." He said with a confident smile. Shikamaru swore he saw those cold eyes soften. Without a word Gaara turned and disappeared outside.

Outside the mansion Gaara and Shikamaru treaded their way through the snow. The moon was dipping lower into the sky giving them the knowledge that dawn was near. The usual sparkle of the snow seemed dulled as if the events of the night had leeched the very life from the land.

Gaara stopped near the edge of the balcony and looked up. He could see the shattered remains of the stone where Sasuke had fallen. From the corner of his eye he saw Shikamaru raise his lantern over the ravine and squint into the darkness. Even the lantern's light couldn't pierce the bottom of that abiss. After years of insomnia driven nights, after being in the dark for so long his eyes were well accustomed out here.

"Sasuke fell from up there?" Shikamaru exclaimed, looking up at the balcony. "That's at least a 20 foot drop to the ground." His breath rose in small white puffs.

"And even further if he fell into the ravine." Gaara said slowly and turning to the ravine's edge.

The snow and ice had left the ground slick and when Shikamaru took a step further, his foot slipped and he nearly fell into the ravine. Gaara saved him with a cold grip on his wrist. "Thanks." Shikamaru said breathlessly.

"You're welcome." Gaara replied. "Just please be careful. I don't want anymore blood on my hands tonight, thank you." Turning away for a moment he said. "It's too steep to try and go down here but there's a gentler slope over there, follow me." With Shikamaru trailing behind him Gaara walked away from the mansion. Finding the gentler way into the ravine they then back tracked the way they had come. Shikamaru tripped and stumbled on the ravine's floor but Gaara's stride was steady. When they reached the mansion Shikamaru heard Gaara's breath leave in a sigh and he stiffened.

Following his gaze, Shikamaru saw the reason for his sudden reaction. "Sasuke." In the middle of the ravine Sasuke lay unmoving. They stepped closer and saw that his neck was broken at an odd angle, his face pale as the snow and completely stark against his dark hair. His dead eyes were wide and accusing, the lantern's light casting an eerie glow over them. Shikamaru saw an blood stain on Sasuke's shirt and glanced up to see a matching stain in the snowy ravine wall where he must've hit before landing.

Gaara's eyes never left Sasuke. "Zakuro's going to hate me." He muttered.

"She won't hate you." Shikamaru said. "I know Zakuro, I've never seen her care for someone the way she cares for you. Not even him." He nodded to Sasuke. "She won't be upset with you."

Gaara glanced at Shikamaru. He sensed the truth in his words, but if Zakuro would really be okay with this he couldn't say. Would she place blame on him? Sasuke was her best friend afterall and now he was dead because he rivaled with Gaara for her love and for his own ends. Zakuro's grief stricken face played inside his head and he felt the need to at least partially clear his concience of this. He knelt beside Sasuke's body,raising a hand to Sasuke's dead eyes he closed them. Lifting him up Gaara slung Sasuke's arm over his shoulders and stood. Sasuke's dead weight felt like nothing to him. He caught Shikamaru's questioning look. "I think I owe it to him to take his body back to his family." That was a lie, he was doing this for Zakuro.

Shikamaru nodded. "I'll take you there."

Trudging back out of the ravine they started the long walk through the woods. The air seemed to have taken on a strange heaviness during the night and Shikamaru felt on edge. His footsteps seemed too loud against the silence of the woods, Gaara however was utterly silent. Shikamaru had to keep glancing over to make sure he was still there beside him. A sound in the underbrush made Shikamaru jump and then he heard a soft chuckle. "What's so funny?" He asked, glaring at Gaara.

"You are." Gaara answered. "Or maybe I should say all humans in general. You claim to be brave and fearless but then in truth you're afraid of your own shadows." Gaara's voice gained a harsh edge to it. "I've come to realize that human fear that which they don't know, what they don't understand or rather refuse to understand. A symbol of power becomes a symbol of fear, a threat to them. That's why they fill their children's heads with horror stories, to make them obediently fear and hate anything different. When the real truth is that they are just as afraid of the darkness that lies just outside their safe homes. They fear me."

Shikamaru felt a shiver run down his back. That was all true of course, but he hadn't really thought about it before. He'd heard the legends of the Demon of the woods since he was a child and whether he feared them or not, he knew so many who did.

"I'm sorry." Gaara said after a moment. "I shouldn't have said that." He pinched the bridge of his nose, breathing deeply. "I have a bad habit of doing that when I'm around people. I'm not used to it, I prefer to be alone where I don't have to hide." That was the reason he loved the woods so much. Because so many feared it that meant he was free to roam his his kingdom far away from the hateful eyes of mankind. Even now the darkness seemed to whisper to him, beckoning him to vanish inside its santcuary and become one with the night as he had done so many times before. He recalled the numerous times he had run throught the forset at midnight, the wind pulling at his hair, the taste of the night on his tongue. It was the only time he felt at peace. He would swiftly and silently move through the trees, nothing more than a shadow. The creatures of the night would whisper to him as he went, speaking in ways only he could understand.

"It's alright," Shikamaru said. "You don'ty have to worry about offending me or anything."

"I feel as if I do though," Gaara stopped and faced him." Because you're not like that. If you were you would've either run from me or attacked me by now." He stated flatly.

Shikmaru shook his head angrily. "People who think that way are ignorant fools. You're just a man, no different than I am."

Gaara started walking again. "I'm glad you think that way," He said sadly. "Most people don't."

There was a long pause between them, the only sounds were from Shikamaru's footsteps. Finally Shikamaru blurted out. "You know I don't get you." Gaara gave him a confused look. "I mean, I've heard the way Zakuro spoke of the kind and mysterious man she's fallen for and I've seen now how terrifying you can be. You can't be both."

"Can't I?" Gaara said. "I've never had a reason to show the side of me that Zakuro sees, not until I met her. It's always been there but in order to survive in this world I've had to hide it. I've hidden for so long I was surprised to find that it still existed. She's brought out the real me, not the one twisted by fate." He caught Shikamaru's surprised look and read his mind. "Surprised to see that I'm slightly human?"

"I'm not gonna lie," Shikamaru smiled. "A little." Gaara's whispy chuckle sounded.

They stepped out of the cover of the woods and onto the dirt road. In the distance the lights of the village shown with a cold light that made Gaara tremble with hatred inside. All those humans there all curled up in their safe, warm beds, completely unaware of his existence.

Inside the village Kiba and the others were rapidly telling the details of the night to some elders. "Ok slow down boys." Shikamaru's father, Shikaku Nara finally said silencing them. "Now slowly tell us what happened."

"And explain why you did something so dangerous without telling anyone." Inoichi Yamanaka said, narrowing his blue eyes at them.

"Zaku, did you put them all up to this?" Choji's father asked. He folded his thick arms across his massive body and frowned sternly at Zaku.

"No!" Zaku practically screamed. "Why does everyone think I'm always lying?"

"Says the "Boy who cried wolf"". Neji muttered.

"Shut up Neji!" Zaku snapped.

"You have to believe us dad." Choji said. "We have to go back because Shikamaru could be in trouble-"

"Wait you left Shikamaru behind!" Shikaku roared.

"Relax dad I'm fine." Shikamaru walked over to him.

"Shikamaru!" Choji cried. "You're ok. What happened back there? Where's the Demon?"

"Standing right beside you." A hush came over the crowd of people as Gaara, who'd been standing in the shadows stepped into the glow of the streetlight. He threw back the hood of his cloak, revealing his shock of red hair and his stoney eyes.

Kiba scowled. "So you do have a voice." He mocked.

Gaara cocked his lack of an eyebrow. "I wouldn't think it wise to mock the person could've snapped your neck." He said calmly.

Kiba glared at Gaara, rubbing his already bruised throat. Then he noticed Sasuke lying lifeless against Gaara's shoulder. "Sasuke!" He cried. Then he growled and took a step toward Gaara. "You bastard, I'll kill you myself!" Kiba lashed out, his claws aimed at Gaara's face.

Shikaku caught Kiba's arm. "That's enough Kiba." He said. After Shikaku released him Kiba turned to scowl at Gaara. Akamaru growled at him from inside Kiba's jacket, where he was nestled at his chest. With one look from Gaara however sent him whimpering back into Kiba's jacket. Shikaku looked down at this boy who stood no taller than his shoulder. "You're the Demon of the woods? You're just a child."

"On the contrary I've lived nearly three of your life times." Gaara's eyes took in the shock on their faces. "You humans really have no idea how long I've been in the shadows watching your pitiful indifference." He spat.

"Looking for your next victim you mean." Kiba snapped. "You're the reason our village lives in fear." Gaara's face fell. "And then there's silence." Kiba sneered. "Just who are you trying to fool anyway? You act as if we're the intruders in your world when really you're the intruder, a monster cursing us for eternity!"

Shikamaru noticed that Gaara's hands started to tremble, the skin of his knuckles stretched white over his clenched fists. His breathing sounded strange too. His voice strained to keep a calm tone. "Could the curse that is me possibly be a punishment for your sins? If you would simply let me be-"

"You'd just keep killing us off for sport! I'll let you be when you're rotting in hell!" Kiba shouted. The other guys shouted in agreement. "We'll cretainly have saved quite a few young women from your clutches. You seduce them and then leave them for dead. Just like you did with Zakuro."

In an instant Gaara's hand was around Kiba's throat. His blue eyes blazed into Kiba's as he gripped tighter. Kiba gasped and clawed at his hand. Akamaru even bit Gaara's hand but his grip remained like an iron vise. He could feel Kiba's pulse beneath his fingers, the veins breaking under his grip. He could so easily shut this fool up once and for all. Then he felt nothing, his body had gone rigid and numb. "Why can't I move?" He thought as he struggled against the invisible force.

"Gaara, calm down." Gaara looked over at Shikamaru, unable to move his neck. He stood with his arm outstretched, his hand curled around empty air. He was mimicing Gaara's stance. No wait. Gaara glanced down to see that his shadow cast over the road was connected to Shikamaru's. He wasn't being mimiced, he was mimicing Shikamaru. "Don't waste your time," Shikamaru said lowering his arm. Stifly Gaara did the same. "He's not worth it." Shikamaru glared at Kiba who stood coughing and rubbing his throat. Kiba scowled at the two of them, showing all his fangs.

"Shikamaru-" Shikaku began in his "I'm-going-to-give-a-huge-lectural-scolding-that-Shikamaru-doesn't-give-a-crap-about" voice as Shikamaru called it.

Must escape scolding immediately. "Dad, I'll explain everything later but right now my friend and I have something to take care of." Shikamaru started walking toward Sasuke's house. Gaara followed behind, their shadows were still attached.

"Shikamaru!" Shikaku called after his son, scowling.

Shikamaru called back. "Scold me later!" After putting a few houses between them and that crowd he severed his shadow's hold. Gaara slumped against a building, his breathing ragged. Shikamaru thought about the hunger he'd just seen in Gaara's eyes. His desire to kill Kiba had sent a chill through him. But now Gaara looked pained, his eyes clenched shut and one hand clutching his head. Shikamaru felt pity prick his heart like a thorn. "Are you ok?"

"No." Gaara muttered miserably. His head pounded as he forced his rage and power back. A cold sheen of sweat had risen from his pores making the streetlights shine across his face. He gritted his teeth as another wave of pain coursed through his body and he began to tremble. Biting back the scream building in his throat he strained to regain control. Finally the pain left and his power slid back into the darkest part of his soul. Gaara was left shaken and breathing heavily. "I would never hurt Zakuro, I would never treat her that way." He mumbled, opening his eyes. "I'd die before I would hurt." He looked at Shikamaru. "Thank you for getting me out of there before I killed him."

"Well I was warned to keep you calm or hold you back," Shikamaru shrugged. "So I decided to go with both." He smiled. When Gaara didn't return it he started slowly, wary of Gaara's reaction. "Are all those stories really true?"

"Yes." Gaara repiled flatly.

"You really took advantage of those women?"

Gaara looked at him shocked and then rolled his eyes. "Yes," he said sarcasticly. "I took advantage- no! Of course not! I thought you meant the deaths, that's true the other part not true. That was definitely thought up by humans who were trying to keep their daughters in line."

Shikamaru shrugged. "Just clues to the puzzle."

Gaara frowned. "I'm a monster no doubt about that but I'm no sex deviant."

"No accusations here." Shikamaru held up his hands. "I just wanted to find out from the source."

"It was actually quite rare that a woman would find her way to her death by my hands." Gaara said. "It was almost always some prideful man trying to prove himself by challenging me. Like his brother." He glanced at Sasuke's face, lying limp on his shoulder.

Shikamaru nodded. "His house is this way." He nodded to his right. The two started walking in that direction.

After a moment Gaara said somberly. "I apologize for the way I acted back there. I lost control."

"Hey with that comment Kiba was asking for it." Shikamaru said. Unconvinced Gaara sighed. Finally Shikamaru stopped and pointed to the house in front of them. "Sasuke's house."

If he hadn't been told Gaara probably could've guessed which one belonged to Sasuke for the insignia painted on the door matched the one on Sasuke's shirt. Probably a family crest. Walking to the door Gaara set Sasuke on the doorstep. For a long moment he gazed at Sasuke's ashen face, the face of his rival. The boy had been driven by vengence, a hatred of him but love had driven him too. Sasuke loved Zakuro and wanted the best for her but his selfishness had proven to be his downfall. He would have died rather than see Zakuro with Gaara. He didn't want to lose Zakuro. Gaara's thoughts turned to the wolf that had attacked Zakuro. He was driven by vengence as well. None of this was right. With Sasuke Zakuro would've been safe, Sasuke would never have to worry about keeping his composure and an unimaginable power in check. He wouldn't have to risk killing her everytime she was near. Gaara was clearly a match made in hell for Zakuro. For the first time in his life Gaara regretted his original intentions. Finally reaching up he made a few quick raps on the door and in a flash was gone.

The door opened a moment later and Sasuke's mother, Mikoto stepped out. She had her son's coloring. The same pale skin, eyes and hair as black as midnight. She wiped her hands on her apron, shaking the dark bangs from her face she glanced around. Then she looked down to see her son lying on the doorstep. "Sasuke?" She knelt down beside him. Upon touching his cold hand she brought her hand slowly to her mouth. Tears sprang into her eyes. "No." She softly cried from behind her hand and brushed his bangs from his face. Then she threw herself over him and sobbed into his chest. "Sasuke! My baby!"

Shikamaru looked at the ground sadly from where he was hidden behind a building. With Sasuke dead the Uchiha's were childless now, their blood line ending there. A sudden sigh behind him made him jump. Whipping around he saw Gaara in the alley behind him. He was leaning against the wall, the shadows casting harsh lines over his face. "I've always tried to igonore it." He mumbled and Shikamaru couldn't tell if he was talking to him or to himself. "The pain that others face when I kill their loved ones. I may kill one but with that one death I destroy the lives of everyone who loves them. For many I take away their reason for living." Mikoto's cries seemed to grow louder in his ears and he saw her broken face behind his closed eyes. His hands began to tremble and he smashed his fist into the wall. The stone shattered under the force, forming a large hole that still left rock crumbling to the ground. Shikamaru thought he would have to restrain him again but then he heard the soft choking sound of held back tears. "I really am a monster." Gaara whispered.

Shikamaru stood unmoving. He didn't know what he hadn't expected more the fact that the Demon really existed or that he was standing next to the Demon who was on the verge of tears and sympathizing with him.

Quickly Gaara forced his emotions back before he lost control. Even now he felt his power build inside his head, causing a throbbing headache. As he pinched the bridge of his nose and worked his temples the two walked back toward the woods. Finally Gaara stopped mid-way on the dirt road, the border of his world and the humans'. Turning to Shikamaru he said. "I've done what I came here to do, I'll take my leave now." He nodded toward the woods.

"Leaving so soon?" Shikamaru chuckled.

"I thought it best to leave before that mob gets up the courage to come over here and lynch me." Gaara's eyes looked over Shikamaru's shoulder.

Following his gaze Shikamaru's sharp eyes found Neji perched in a tree, Zaku concealed behind a building and many others from that group hiding as if for an ambush. Kiba stood glaring with Akamaru growling on his shoulder. Shikamaru was disgusted. He looked back at Gaara whose eyes had turned as cold as ice. "Not all people are cruel like that." He said.

"I know." Gaara replied softly. "You and Zakuro have proved that to me."

Gaara turned to leave but Shikamaru stopped him. "You know what," He said. Gaara turned back to him. "I think Z made a good choice. After tonight I've seen just how you can be both a kind person and…well a demon. Zakuro brings out the best in you, the you you've been hiding. From now on I don't car what anyone says or thinks, you're a good man Gaara."

The harsh look in those eyes had softened. Once again Gaara turned to leave but then stopped and turned back. "Can I ask you something?" Shikamaru nodded. "Back there you…you called me your friend?"

Shikamaru smiled. "I guess I did. Take care of her okay." He held out his hand. "Goodbye Gaara."

Gaara looked from his hand to his face. He didn't seem to understand Shikamaru's acceptance for a moment. Finally he took Shikamaru's hand in his cold grip. "Goodbye Shikamaru, thank you." After a moment he released Shikamaru's hand and pulling up the hood of his cloak walked toward the woods.

As the sun boke over the horizon a sudden gust of wind caught his cloak, throwing about him like the wings of some dark angel. When those wings settled he was gone, vanishing back into the woods. Back to his home, back to his domain.

Author's note: OMG I'm sooooo sorry I made you guys wait so long. I feel awful. Please don't abandon the story! I've been so busy lately I wanted to tear my hair out. so anyway please don't give up on me just yet!

let me know if i got any parents names wrong. I can only rely on Wikipedia. I tried to tap into Gaara's inner mind better here (big thank you to Susan Kay in Phantom) the way that he views human came from inspiration from Kay. He's very dark here or thats what i was going for anyway. Yay shikamaru and Gaara are friends!! I always viewed them that way anyway. like if they got to know each other better you know. Gaara did a lot stangling in this part didn't he? lol I must have problems or something. lol either way Kiba's quite a jerk here isn't he? I always envision him as the fire started you know, he start something he probably can't finish.

so the next part should be up soon. don't yell at me! cowers for a moment because school is over I should be writing more.


	14. Chapter 14 Life And Love

Darkness shrouded her, it was if she was floating on a sea made of the darkest midnight. Some might have been afraid but Zakuro welcomed it. She had always loved the dark, believing that it didn't necessarily equate to evil. She heard the sound of her pulse, softly beatinging her ears and everytime it beat a dull pain in her chest throbbed. A strangely good pain, like a healing bruise. She could smell the woods and those black roses, and listened to the sounds that only those who respected the dark could hear.

Zakuro reflected upon her life. She watched in a mirror as she grew into the young woman that she was, always short and always the same blue eyes staring back at her. Who was she really though? She had never really found that out and now she never would. She could see her father's tanned face and hear his laughter from a time when she was always laughing. She recalled when she used to sing until her soul soared over the highest clouds. She watched herself punch Shikamaru in the face and then laugh with him about it later. Zakuro remembered Tsnade's quick wit and firey temper as she taught her chakra control. She saw the face of Sasuke's mother Mikoto, Zakuro's adoptive mother who had always loved her as her own daughter. She was laughing with Naruto and Sakura. She was playing tag with Sasuke around the big tree in his backyard, their favorite spot. Sasuke was proposing to her. He was comforting her after her father's death and she after his brother's. She remembered how Sasuke's kiss had made her feel lighter than air. Then she was frozen, trapped by the spell of Gaara's eyes. She watched him save her from the rage of a vengeful wolf and play her the song that had made her heart sing. Her heart beat increased as she remembered how Gaara's kiss had sent some forbidden heat coursing through her veins. But now that's all she could do, remember.

The smell of those black roses engulfed her but also there was a musky scent with it. It was so familiar. She felt her eyes open but the darkness didn't fade, niether did the pain in her chest. In fact it blazed through her chest with every beat of her heart. Zakuro started to cry, panic stricken. She heard soft sobs and realized that they belonged to her. "Zakuro?" A soft whispy voice called out. Why was she being punished like this? She felt a weight at her side and a cold hand found hers. "Zakuro are you alright?" She turned away from the sound of Gaara's voice and tried to ignore the familiar warmth on her cheeks. "What's wrong?" He asked.

"You're not really here." She choked out, her voice thick with tears. "I died and now I'm being tortured." She wanted to go back to that peaceful feeling from before and just remember.

Zakuro felt his smile through the dark and felt the quiver of butterflies in her stomach. "Do you want me to show you that you're alive?" Not waiting for an answer his lips met hers. She shivered inside as the familiar cold taste of his mouth filled hers. Her heart beat wildly in her chest and a blush warmed her face again and deepened as she realized that she was lying in a bed. Probably Gaara's, it smelled of the roses and musk, the same smell that clung to his skin and hair. She let her fingers lightly trace his cheek and ruffle his hair. This was real, he was real. She was alive. Then Gaara's mouth pressed harder against hers and his hand tangled in her hair, deepening the kiss like he never had before. Zakuro's breath left in a sigh as a new heat travled down to her toes. Her hands explored the muscles of his chest and back through his thin shirt.

Suddenly his lips froze over hers and he drew away from her. His breathing had taken on that strange heaviness from before and his hands gripped at the bedsheets. Zakuro released her hold on him and laid completely still. Her eyes had adjusted to the dark and she could see that his face was turned away and knew that his eyes and jaw were clenched shut. After a moment his breathing returned to normal and he turned back to her. "Are you ok?" She asked worriedly. Still she felt a little guilty because she wished that he would kiss her again.

"Yes." Zakuro could tell that he was lying. He was too tense now and seemed distant. "I'm sorry, that was my fault. I overestimated my self control." Gaara's cheeks turned warm. "I need to behave myself."

Zakuro blushed a little too. "I'm not complaining and when have men ever worried about moving too fast in a relationship."

Gaara chuckled as he rested his forehead against hers. "You might not be complianing, but I like kissing you too much and it's dangerous."

Zakuro pouted for a moment. Then she reached upand softly kissed his frozen lips. "I love you Gaara." She whispered.

She could feel his down cast expression. "I know you do. I love you too, more than anything." Gaara whispered back. He sat up and turned away. For a long moment he didn't speak. When he did he said. "You shouldn't love me, Zakuro."

"What?"

"I don't deserve it, I don't deserve you. You know what I am as well as what I've done, I don't deserve your love." He was suddenly angry. "I'm a monster! What I deserve is to suffer alone for the rest of my life! I deserve to rot inside my own mind, my own personal hell forever!" Gaara buried his face in his hands. "I don't deserve you." He repeated over and over.

Zakuro could tell from the choking sound behind his hands that he was crying. "Gaara, please don't talk like that." She tried to sit up but the pain in her chest tore through her and she cried out.

Gaara wrapped his arms around her and steadied her. "Stay still." He said soothingly. Holding her against his chest he gently stroked her hair and back.

"I wish you wouldn't talk like that." Zakuro mumbled into his shirt.

"It's true." Gaara said sadly.

Zakuro felt tears welling in her eyes. "I don't care if it's true or not." She sobbed. "I don't care what you've done and I don't care what you are, I care about you. I said that I'd love you no matter what and I meant it. I love you."

She cried for a moment before he tightened his hold on her. "I've always loved you Zakuro." He whispered into her hair. Zakuro sniffed once before burying her face in his chest. That small movement sent another wave of pain through her body and she bit back another cry.

Gaara seemed to sense her pain. Reaching into the dark he picked up a glass from the stand beside the bed. "I just remembered, Sakura gave this to me for when you woke up."

Zakuro's head shot up. "Oh my god! Sakura, Naruto and Shikamaru are they all okay?" She asked, panic strangling her voice. She decided not to mention Sasuke. She didn't want to set Gaara off, especially now when he seemed so unstable.

Gaara caught her aversion but didn't say anything. "Relax, they're all fine. Shikamaru went home hours ago. Now take this," He placed the glass in her hands. "Sakura said it would help the pain while you sleep."

Panic siezed her again. "I don't want to sleep. I'm.. I'm afraid I won't wake up." Zakuro felt new tears trail down her cheeks.

"Of course you will," Gaara gently brushed her tears away. "You'll be fine. I wouldn't give this to you if I didn't believe that. I want you to heal and in order to do that you need to rest."

Zakuro nodded, knowing that was true. "Okay." Raising the glass to her lips she drank the syrupy liquid inside. It was thick and very bitter, it seemed to coat her throat with its stickiness. She cringed after swallowing it all down. Quickly afterward a light warmth bubbled in her stomach and spread out all the way to her fingertips. The pain in her chest dulled to an ache and her eyelids started to droop. Soon her head swam and felt to heavy to hold up so she rested it against Gaara's chest. He took the glass from her hands and set it back on the nightstand. Then his hand found hers, lacing their fingers together he started humming a song softly in her ear. She hadn't heard this tune before but she liked it. "That sounds new." She mumbled.

Gaara smiled. "No one's ever inspired me like you have." He whispered. "Now it's time for you to get some sleep." Shifting his body he set her back on the pillows and pulled the covers around her.

For a moment their eyes locked and Zakuro was once again left breathless. She could feel his desire in his gaze and felt a blush work its way to her face, wrapping her arms around him she held him close. She felt goosebumps rise on her skin from the cold of his body. Gaara rested his head on her shoulder, his nose softly tracing the edge of her jaw. She never wanted to let him go. "You'll stay here won't you?" Zakuro asked fighting against her drowziness.

"Of course," Gaara said, tracing his fingers through her hair. "I'll be right here when you wake up." There was a long silence between them and Zakuro felt the sudden change in him. "Zakuro," He whispered, his tone sent a heated chill through her. He leaned over her and mumbled his words against her lips. "Promise me you'll never leave me."

"I promise."

Zakuro felt a cold tear fall onto her cheek. "Thank you." Then he softly kissed her. "Now get some sleep."

Settling back onto the pillows Zakuro closed her eyes. The warmth from that medicine seemed to leech away her consiousness. After a moment Gaara started to hum her a lullaby and Zakuro slid back into the dark.

Author's Note Yay!! a new chapter. I went with a smaller one seems how my fans are begging for more. I can't believe how far this has gone I'm up to 14 chapters and still not done. Jeez. This is the longest running fanfic I've ever thought up and I can't believe how popular it is here. Thank you all so much!! :D

Well Zakuro's just fine, I wouldn't kill her on you guys like that. lol All will soon be revealed prolly in the next chapter and when I say all I mean all those explainations Gaara owes Zakuro. So watch for the next chapter. Bye for now!


	15. Chapter 15 Answers

Stepping back out of the darkness again Zakuro opened her eyes and immediately shut them. Even though the light in the room was dim it was enough to sting her eyes for a moment. Opening her eyes again she narrowed them so that she was looking through a veil of lashes until they adjusted. She was still groggy and couldn't quite focus, her head still seemed too heavy to hold up. After blinking the bright spots of color from her eyes she looked around. The bed she was lying in was canopied with black curtains, crimson red satin sheets covered it and her head rested on a matching black and red pillow. (Go figure. All of Gaara's favorite colors, no doubt.) Zakuro giggled to herself.

Looking beside her she let out a soft gasp. Gaara had pulled a chair next to the bed and was sitting in it with his face resting on his folded arms that lay on the edge of the bed. Zakuro decided that he was sleep judging from how even his breathing was. He lay with his eyes closed, looking like dark caverns the way those black marks circled them. But what worried Zakuro was that the entire right side of his face was bruised a sickly purple color. It looked as if he'd been hit, she cringed to imagine what or who could've delivered that kind of force. She noticed that his left hand had the same bruised appearance.

"Gaara?" Zakuro whispered, softly brushing at his hair. He stirred but didn't wake up. She remembered his insomnia and decided to let him sleep. She kept her eyes on him as she settled back onto the pillow, she still felt exhausted. When she fell back asleep the last thing she saw was Gaara's face.

Zakuro felt cold fingers across her face, tracing the curve of her cheek and through her bangs. Those fingers then traced the edge of her lower lip before she lightly kissed them. Opening her eyes she met Gaara's, shining softly in the dim light coming through the curtains. She answered his smile with one of her own before sitting straight up. "Your face!" She cried.

Gaara recoiled for a moment, looking confused. "What?" He passed a hand over his cheeks and forehead.

"I woke up before," She explained. "And it was black and blue."

Gaara's eyes narrowed for a moment then relaxed. "Oh, that's normal." He said calmly.

"How is that normal?" She reached up to touch his previously bruised cheek. Zakuro realized that the cuts on his face from his battle with Sasuke were gone too.

"Well," He said, sitting on the edge of the bed next to her. "Whenever I change like I did before it's not pleasant. It hurts, a lot. And as a result I'm bruised up for a while. It's not a big deal." Gaara shrugged.

"And it's healed already? How long was I asleep?"

"Not long, about a day and a half." Gaara answered.

"A day and a half?!" Zakuro picked up his left hand and turned it over and over. It looked completely healed too.

"Yes." Gaara hadn't lost his calm tone.

"That should've taken at least a week to heal." She said

"For you maybe." Zakuro looked up at him with a questioningly. Gaara sighed quickly. "Remember that wolf bite I got just a few days ago?" Zakuro nodded. He pulled back the sleeve of his shirt revealing the bandage wrapped around his forearm. It wasn't even bloody. Gaara swiftly unwound the bandage and showed her his unmarked arm. Zakuro's mouth fell open as she touched where that wound had been. It was completely unmarred, there wasn't even a sign of a scar. It was if it had never even happened.

Zakuro loooked back at him. "How-?" She asked in breathless confusion.

Gaara was looking deadly serious. "Demons heal faster than humans."

"What about your back?" She recalled the grisly wound that Sasuke's Demon Wind Shuriken had left.

"Healed." Gaara said.

Zakuro finally relaxed. "That's good. I'm glad you're alright." She wrapped her arms around him and snuggled next to him.

She felt him chuckle. "You almost die and yet you're still worried about me."

"Of course I am." She answered.

He chuckled again. "Any more questions?"

Zakuro bit her lip. "Well," She hesitated.

"What?" He smiled.

"Gaara how…" She finally said. "How old are you?"

He looked away for a moment before smiling back at her. "How old would you say I am?"

"Seventeen, eighteen?" She said with a small shrug.

Still smiling he said. "Close, I'm actually three hundred and seventeen years old. Almost three hundred and eighteen, it's almost January." Gaara looked and saw that Zakuro's mouth had fallen open. He laughed quietly and putting his fingers under her chin closed her mouth. "Demons age differently than humans too." He explained. Zakuro nodded still looking a little shaken. "How are you feeling?" Gaara asked.

"Much better." The pain in her chest had disappeared and she didn't feel tired anymore. Zakuro looked at the kanji scarred into his forehead. "What about that? Why didn't that ever heal? And why was it self-inflicted?" Her fingers lightly traced over it.

"I intended for it to never heal and the reason it was self-inflicted is part of a bigger story." Gaara's tone turned somber.

"I think I'm ready to hear it." Zakuro said softly. Gaara's now cold eyes met hers for a moment before he turned away. "What about those promises? You owe me an explanation."

"I know," Gaara finally replied. "I promised." He stopped then, not wanting to continue.

"Gaara, I want to know." Zakuro reached up and grasped under his chin and turned his face to her, her blue eyes pleading with him.

He sighed sadly and pulled away. His hands pried hers from his face, his touch gentle but firm. "I don't know if I'm more afraid of frightening you or more afraid of how you'll judge me. I'm afraid you'll leave me."

Zakuro's tone was matter of fact. "I'm not scared of you. I've never judged a person before and I'll never leave you, I promised. I love you." He looked back at her but still didn't speak. "Please tell me."

He turned away from her again to stare at the wall but Zakuro suspected he was staring at the face of his past. Finally after a full minute Gaara turned back to face her. Taking a deep breath he began. "Everything I told you before was true. My mother died giving birth to me, her younger brother Yashamaru looked after me when I was a child, and my father had always been disappointed in me; but I didn't give you all the details. I was born here in this house, my mother's death however was not my cause."

"Of course not." Zakuro said. "I lost my mother the same way, I know how you feel and it wasn't your fault."

"I'm not talking about blame Zakuro." He said, his eyes turning cold. Continuing on Gaara said. "Years prior to my parents marriage my father was a powerful and wealthy man, someone for the history books, in your village actually."

"Why have I never heard about him then?" Zakuro asked.

Gaara sighed. "Well, after he married my mother and then broke away from the village he built this house he built his fame up even more by holding huge parties."

Zakuro nodded. "Naruto and Sakura told me about them."

He nodded and continued. "But soon enough my father's wealth began to run out and less and less people came to the parties and he realized that his power was reaching it's end. He couldn't stand it, he had always been powerful and was willing to do anything to hold onto it. Even take the life of my mother. Do you remember me telling you how kind my mother was?" Zakuro nodded. "From what I was told and what I believe, when my mother discovered that she was pregnant she was so happy to be having her first child. Little did she know that I would be her last, because my father saw this as an opportunity to satisfy his own ends. He wanted to find a way to build his power back up and keep it forever, he would seal a demon inside the body of his son. That way he would survive through the power of his son, me." He paused for a moment to let his words sink in. "However in order to do that a life must be sacrificed. My father killed my mother to make me what I am, a demon. Destroying both Yashamaru and me in the process." Gaara chuckled darkly. "That gives new meaning to the phrase 'paying for the sins of your father', doesn't it?" That dark smile faded from his face quickly and he looked pained.

Zakuro placed her hand over his and gave it a gentle squeeze and an encouraging smile. His eyes looked like cold stone as he continued. "Unfortunately something went wrong. This power should've been a gift but instead it became a curse, I couldn't control it. I often had to be locked up in my room when I lost my temper and when I changed and showed what I really was I spent weeks in solitary before I could change back. I realized that I was different but I didn't know why. My father had never told me what he had done, what I was, he saw me as a failed experiment and never cared that I was in pain." His voice took on a softer tone. "Yashamaru seemed to be the only one who cared about me. He raised me and comforted me through my pain. It became apparent that my control over my power was linked to my instability, both mental and emotional. I trusted him, I loved him, he was my only friend. That's why it hurt so much to find out that it was all a lie. When I was six and he committed suicide, attempting to kill me at the same time he told me that he had never loved me and blamed me for his beloved sister's death. He told me what I was and what my father had done." He stopped, placing a shaking hand over his eyes. "It still haunts me, everytime I close my eyes I see him dying in front of me, my own life spared just because of what I am. Part of me died right there, my whole world fell in around me. I no longer cared for anyone else, if the world wouldn't give me a chance, why should I give the world a chance. I was alone and that's how I would remain. That's when I gave myself this," He brushed at the kanji scar above his eye. "To show that I knew that love was something I would never have, that I would live for myself and love only myself. I needed to let go of love if I was going to survive in this world."

Zakuro was just as breathless as before, tears filling her eyes. How could you treat someone that way? It was no wonder Gaara was such a loner, he didn't trust anyone after he'd been hurt so badly in the past. Her heart pounded in her chest as she asked the question on her mind. "What happened to your father?"

Gaara wouldn't meet her eyes. His hands clenched into fists and Zakuro dreaded his answer. "After Yashamaru killed himself, I…I was upset…I couldn't control myself…" He stopped. "Zakuro you shouldn't hear this."

She reached up and forced him to look at her. "Tell me." She demanded. Then in a softer tone said. "Nothing you can tell me is going to change the way I feel about you. You have to believe that."

"I do believe you." He said. "I was furious with my father, he had done this to me. I lost control. Before I knew what had happened my father had died by my hand."

"You killed your father." Zakuro whispered.

Gaara nodded. "Yes." He stared at his hands as if seeing the blood that had once stained them. "After killing him," Gaara continued. "I watched him lie there dead and realized that I…" Zakuro saw that hungry look appear in his eyes and felt a chill down her back as he said in a hushed tone. "I liked it." He recalled it even now, the sound of their hearts, both his and his father's pounding in his ears, the hot adrenaline pulsing in his veins and the feel of warm blood on his hands. He looked back at Zakuro and saw the shocked look on her face. "I can't say that it wasn't true. I…I can barely explain it, the feeling that killing gave me the rush, the feeling of power. And then everything just seemed to fall into place. When Yashamaru died, he took my reason for living with him. What was my purpose in life? Without a purpose it's the same as being dead. But now I had a purpose again. It was death that gave me life, so it was the death's of others that sustained me. It became similar to a drug addiction, death sedated me and calmed the chaos inside my head. And like an addiction I went into withdrawl, which added to my instability and to the change. But with another death I was sedated again." He paused and saw that Zakuro (sitting silently) had a peculiar look on her face. "Yes? Do you have another question, Zakuro?"

She nodded. "The black rose under the glass in your room, does that have anything to do with anything? 'Cause I saw that the petals fell quickly the night before you sent me away."

Gaara smiled. "You don't miss a thing do you?" Zakuro grinned quickly and shook her head. He smiled back. "Yes, actually. I found out that those black roses seemed to grow out of nowhere the day I was born. My father ordered our gardener to destroy them but they refused to die. Yashamaru finally convinced them to let the flowers be, because I loved them so much. I told you how Yashamaru and I would spend hours in that garden, I always tended to the roses. Yashamaru later found out how poisonous they were and warned me away but I never listened, they were too beautiful. Then after some time the roses all started to wither, at the same time my instability was getting worse and then I changed into my demon form. So they work like a timer, the faster the petals fall the more likely I am to change. Years ago I decided that instead of watching all of them die I would choose one and keep it in my room, keeping an eye on it and the rest would stay alive and healthy."

Zakuro nodded and waited for him to go on. "Thus the Demon of the woods was really born. To start with I would seek those lost in the woods and kill them, sometimes survivors would escape with stories to share. However when I had an immediate need I would slip into the village and lure some unsuspecting victim to their death. Eventually I became so known that they began to seek me out to challenge me. I killed them all. But still my home remianed hidden, I, still a living mystery." He paused again, deep in thought. "I wasn't always about killing." He finally said. "I loved to read, I probably read all the books in my library at least twice. I read all subjects, economics, culture, art, philosophy. I was amazed at how humans could create and write such beauty but at the same time could be so cruel and hateful." He shrugged. "But that's human nature for you. I will forever love Leroux's The Phantom Of the Opera, I identified with Erik so well it was like we were the same person. My thoughts were his thoughts, my feelings his feelings"

"I've always empathized with Erik." Zakuro said in a quiet voice. "He's why I love that book so much." Gaara smiled at her. "Little did I know I'd meet my own angel of music someday." She mumbled.

Gaara's eyes had taken on their beauiful softness again. "I did have my music. I learned to play when I was just a child and started composing a few short years later. I remember how I astounded anyone who heard me play, they couldn't believe the gift I had. Music was my outlet, if I was upset I turned to music to soothe me. After all music soothes the savage beast and all that." He joked, a small smile on his face. "After reading Leroux's classic over and over I began my own Don Juan Triumphant in honor of Erik and as a vent for myself. I worked for over ten years on it, there were years when I worked without rest." He caught Zakuro's look. "My insomnia made that possible." He explained. After a long pause where Gaara just stared into space again he finally said. "But after hundreds of years I realized that something was missing. I couldn't name what it was," One of his hands moved to his heart. "I wasn't whole. It tortured me, I couldn't fill the hole in my heart. But then I found what was missing…" He fell silent.

"What? What was missing?" Zakuro asked.

Gaara's eyes met hers, they were smoldering and she felt her heart start to hammer in her chest. He reached up to softly brush her cheek with the back of his fingers. "You were missing, Zakuro." He whispered. "I've always loved you, since the moment I saw you." He went on to explain. "The night you showed up here I was fully prepared to kill you." He glanced away, ashamed when he saw her shudder. "But you stopped me dead in my tracks, it wasn't that I didn't kill you I… I couldn't. You were beautiful but what intrigued me even more was that you weren't. Any other woman who stumbled that far into the woods was terrified but you were different. Even were I did frighten you, you didn't back down, you stood you're ground and later defied a whole mob of people for me." He took her face in his hands and touched his forehead to hers. "You are easily the bravest woman I have ever known." Zakuro smiled, a tear falling from her eye. "That's why I didn't let you leave." He continued. "I couldn't ell you what it was then but I knew that something had changed in me when I saw you. It was like a light had broken through all the darkness in my soul and I was myself again, not the twisted creature I had become. I even started composing again, I hadn't touched my music in over twenty years because I was hurting so badly. But then you appear and I'm writing like never before."

Zakuro thought of the beautiful melody that he said belonged to her. She recalled the feeling in it. "The longing in the music?"

Gaara smiled. "You picked up on that too, huh?" Zakuro nodded. "I," He turned a soft shade of pink under his pale skin. "I wanted you Zakuro but I knew that I could never have you. I had been alone for so long and now…I didn't want to be without you. Even if you were just here in the mansion it gave me a tiny shred of hope that I could know what it was to love." He looked down at his hand, intertwined with hers.

Zakuro felt her throat tighten again and tried to hold back her tears. All his pain seemed like her pain, she saw it all through his eyes now. All the killing was just the answer he'd found to ease the pain, no one had been there for him. But she had healed him, sealed the hole in his heart, in his very soul.

Gaara watched a tear fall onto his pale hand and slowly trail toward his wrist. Looking up he met Zakuro's tear filled eyes. "Why are you crying?" He asked, brushing away a tear from the corner of her eye.

She struggled to keep from sobbing. "Because I love you and I didn't get here sooner. I could've stopped your pain sooner."

"No Zakuro," Gaara hushed her. "Don't ever blame yourself, nothing could've controlled that. It makes all the more difference that you are here and I love you."

"But I-"

"Let's just say it was fate that brought us together when it did." He held her close. "Although I'm not sure if I'm the kind of person who believes that everything happens for a reason. Honestly though Zakuro I was already hundreds of years old when before you were even born."

Zakuro nodded, chewing on her lip. She looked meekly at Gaara before looking away.

"What is it?" Gaara asked. She looked at him questioningly, still chewing on her full bottom lip. He smiled gently before brushing at her lip. "You do that when you're nervous. What is it you want to say?"

Zakuro looked down at where her fingers lay twisted together with his. "Is there anyway the curse could be broken?" She mumbled. "I mean how much do you really know…"

Gaara studied her face for a moment. She still chewed at her lip and looked ashamed. "Just one way." He said softly. Zakuro looked up at him. "I had to find love. If that happened I would become human."

Zakuro's lip started to bleed inside. As the rich, metallic taste filled her mouth, she hoped he wouldn't notice. "So," She started. "Is the curse broken?"

Gaara looked down, a meek grimace on his face. "I honestly don't know." He said sheepishly. "I don't feel any different."

She watched as his face blurred and wavered. "Maybe I'm not the right girl." Her voice was so thick with tears that she could barely hear herself.

But he heard. "No, Zakuro you are the right girl, the only girl." He lifted her chin, meeting her eyes. "You and I had nothing to do with breaking the curse. You love me in spite of the fact that I'm a demon and I love you." He got a far-away look in his eyes. "In the hundreds of years I've been alive I never really thought that I would find love."

She leaned forward and placed a kiss on his lips. When she drew away Gaara caught the strange look on her face and was confused. Zakuro took a deep breath, she couldn't ignore this question any longer. "What happened to Sasuke?" She whispered.

Gaara's expression darkened and she caught the remorseful look in his eyes.

Her eyes flooded with tears. "You didn't?"

His eyes flashed back to her, his face showing horror. "No I didn't, I swear to you Zakuro." Gaara implored. His face changed to that of sorrow. "He fell from the balcony into the ravine. He was already dead when I found him."

As soon as he said it she believed him, but then his words fell on deaf ears. Zakuro placed a trembling hand over her mouth, tears spilling over her cheeks. Her heart felt like a weight crushing her chest and she started gasping for breath. Still she managed to choke out a sobbing. "No." She shook her head wildly. "No!"

Gaara took her in his arms, attempting to calm her down. She tried to wriggle free but he held her tight. "Zakuro calm down. It's going to be alright." He comforted, stroking her hair.

"No," She sobbed. "I did it. I killed Sasuke." Zakueo buried her face in her hands.

Gaara blinked. "What?"

"I did it, I pushed him off the balcony." Zakuro went on to explain to him what she'd learned from Tsunade. She explianed how she'd given that one last, terrible look into Sasuke's eyes before sending him to his death.

Every few words she had to break off to gasp for air. Her body shook with the force of her sobs and tears covered her face. She couldn't seem to get enough air in her lungs. Sasuke was dead because of her. "I…I," She stopped to gasp again. "I murdered my bestfriend." Another sob. "I'm a murderer." Zakuro started to repeat that over and over again, still sobbing. She shook her head wildly again as her cries worked toward hysterics.

"Zakuro." Gaara said. She ignored him. "Zakuro look at me." He tried to take her face in his hands but she pushed him away. "Look at me!" He snapped and his tone made Zakuro flinch. His face held the same frightening look as the night they'd met. "Listen to me. You are not a murderer. You killed someone accidentally to protect the person you love. A murderer kills to satisfy their own ends. You are not a murderer Zakuro. I am."

Zakuro hiccuped, holding back her sobs. "But you're not…"

"I am," He said. "And don't think that it was justified."

She stumbled over her words trying to find a way to explain that it was justified but there was none. His cold stare told her that he understood. Throwing her arms around him and pressed her face to his chest. Gaara cradled her in his arms, slowly rocking her back and forth like a child. "This was all my fault." Zakuro choked out bitterly.

"What do you mean?" He asked.

"If I hadn't fought with Sasuke, if I hadn't runaway that night none of this would have happened."

She felt Gaara turn to stone in her arms. "Listen to yourself. None of this would have happened." His tone made her look up into those peircing eyes. "We wouldn't have met, you wouldn't have fallen in love with me," He brushed at her bangs gently. "I wouldn't have known what it means to love someone the way I love you." He wiped away her knew tears. "I'm sorry that your friend had to die Zakuro. I don't like seeing you so sad or thinking of yourself as a murderer."

"I know." Zakuro said softly. "This was the only way though. Sasuke wouldn't have quit. I know he would've rather die than accept that I loved you and not him."

"Because he hated me." Gaara stated. Zakuro nodded sadly. "I don't hold that against him." He told her solemnly.

"I did love him," Zakuro felt her tears trail down to her lips, salty and cold. She remembered how much fun it had been growing up with Sasuke at her side. "Once. A long time ago, when we were just children. When nothing really mattered, no real responsibilities, just blissful ignorance. But," She glanced at Gaara. "But when his brother died I saw that something had changed in him and when my father died it hit me even more. Sasuke and I were growing apart. I didn't know who he was anymore, I didn't know who I was anymore and then I started to pretend like everything was ok when it really wasn't." She paused, rethinking the events of the last few days. "And then after meeting you it was like I grew up all at once. I wasn't just some little girl pretending to be someone she wasn't. I was just being me for the first time in a very long time." Her smile faded. "And then I got a big reality check. Gaara you opened my eyes to see just how cruel the world can be, how cruel people can be. When I thought about the old legends and saw how the guys from the village were talking about you, it tore my heart out. You weren't anything like that and I was disgusted with myself because I had believed it once. I'd been so blind in the past and I hate it." She shook her head angrily.

"You shouldn't be upset with yourself." He said. "I think you should consider yourself lucky actually." He answered her questioning look. "I never really got a chance to act like a child, to have that blissful ignorance, to just have fun. I **had** to grow up all at once if I was going to survive in this world."

They were silent for a long time, letting their words sink in. The only sound in the room was their breathing. "My bestfriend is dead." Zakuro said, breaking the silence. "I just can't believe it."

Gaara sighed heavily. "I have to be honest with you Zakuro, before you stpeed in I was going to kill him. The thing he said to me…" His hands clenched in hers and his eyes flashed malevolently.

"What did he say to you?" Zakuro asked.

Gaara's demeanor turned to a sad one. "That you hated me, that you never wanted to see me again. I hadn't really planned on ever seeing you again after that day but it hurt. I probably shouldn't have believed him, I trust you more than that but I was so unstable I… I just wanted to make him pay for it. But as soon as you spoke out against it I wouldn't have harmed him."

Zakuro bit her lip again. "Gaara, what would you have done if I had taken Sasuke's offer, married him on the condition that he'd let you live?"

He didn't hesitate. "I would have let you go."

"Just like that?"

Gaara nodded.

"Why?"

"I wanted you to be happy, no matter what you chose."

"But would you really have let me **go**?"

Gaara caught her tone and looked away. "No," He said softly. "Not easily anyway. I know I wouldn't have been able to convine myself that you were happy with Sasuke, I would have needed to see it for myself."

"I would've seen you again." Zakuro said optimisticly.

"I would have seen you but you wouldn't have seen me." He repiled flatly.

Zakuro's face fell before she smiled teasingly. "So you'd be stalking me?"

Gaara turned as red as his hair. "Well… not extremely." He went on, stumbling over his words.

She put her hand over his mouth. "I was just joking."

"Oh." He mumbled against her palm. He took her hand from his mouth. "And what about you, would knowing that I was alive have been enough for you?" She started to speak but Gaara caught the look in her eyes. "I want the truth."

Zakuro then sighed. "No," She said. "I don't know if I would have been happy with Sasuke or not. But I do know that I would've had to see you again."

Gaara sighed softly. "I'm not worth all this trouble, Zakuro." He looked down at his hands.

She lifted his chin and looked into the eyes that had entranced her from the start. They were soft, surrounded by dark circles and she saw the redness forming in them. He was about to cry. "But you are worth it Gaara. And for some unknown reason you can't see that."

He smiled that half smile at her. "I love you."

"I love you too." Zakuro smiled.

Gaara reached up and placed a kiss on her forehead. "I know that the others were anxious to see that you were ok, so why don't you get dressed and we'll go out."

"'kay."

Taking her hand he led her across his room. Zakuro took in the sight of an enormous fire place with a white marble hearth and a lush red velvet couch in front of it. In the corner was a white baby grand piano with shet music strewn across the top of it. Beside the open bathroom door stood a large book case filled with leather bound volumes, too many to count. The walls were hung with tapestries dipicting everything from epic battles to still lifes of flowers. Gaara let her go into the tiled bathroom. She shut the door behind her and stripped down. ( Her beatiful white dress had been replaced iwht a blue hospital-like gown.) Looking in the large oval mirror she traced the line of stitchesover her heart and counted 34. That was going to leave one hell of a scar. She quickly showered up, loving the feel of the hot water on her skin. After wrapping a towel around herself she found the clothes that Gaara had laid out for her, a pair of black pants and a long turtle neck tunic that matched his eyes. Smiling she combed out the tangles in her hair and put on her outfit. The tunic hugged her form perfectly.

She stepped outside and Gaara, who had been plinking out a tune on the piano smiled at her. Zakuro felt her cheeks turn warm with a blush. Walking over she took his hands and got lost in those blue eyes.

"We were going out." He finally said, breaking her stupor. Gaara could barely keep the smile off his face.

"Huh?" Zakuro muttered, still mesmerized. "Oh yeah." She snapped out of it and grinned.

Gaara lead her toward another door near the fire place. "But first I have a present for you."

Author's Note: HOLY SMOKE!! It's been forever since I updated. Please don't kill me! flinches I'm reallt really really sorry I kept you guys waiting so long. I got a horrific writer's block and then I got a job and then school started. and things have been hectic.

Anyway on a brighter note while getting back on track I discovered the writing of Anne Rice OMG!! I've read Interview With The Vampire and I'm mid-way through The Vampire Lestat. I love them soo much :D And to anyone else who's read them, do you also have the which one is hotter syndrome? Louis, Lestat or Armand? I can't choose! Lestat is pretty high up there though. I think he leads by a sliver.

Ok let me stop rambling. So be sure to review I really really really appreciate it. And be sure to let me know if you think I left anything about Gaara's past out. that was the writer's block getting all of that together. so I'll update as soon as I can. :D :D :D


	16. Chapter 16 Freedom

Gaara lead her toward another door near the fire place. "But first I have a present for you." He opened the door, revealing the other half of his room. The furniture had been fixed, the floors cleaned, it looked like nothing had happened.

But Zakuro's eyes stopped at the gaping hole in the stone balcony. She walked to the french doors ( they were fixed too, the glass repaired) and stared at the shattered remians of the stone. In her mind she saw Sasuke plummet down into the darkness of the ravine. Her tears fell from her cheeks, making tiny droplets on her tunic.

The music seemed so far away at first but as she turned away from the door and away from her sorrow her heart swelled. Gaara sat at the organ playing the song that had first captured her heart, her lullaby. The hauntingly beautiful sound filled her ears and flowed through her veins. The sound had a new passion to it, a heat that made her heart pound in her chest. With new tears streaming down her face she walked to stand behind him. She watched his fingers move rapidly across the keys and gently placed her arms around his shoulders and pressed her face to his hair. Looking back on the last few days she couldn't believe it. This amazing, passionate genius was hers to keep, to love forever. Zakuro's heart beat so fast that her head started to spin and a blush warmed her face.

After ending the song with a soft decrescendo Gaara stood and took Zakuro in his arms. His eyes were soft and fathomless.

"That was my song." She said, smiling through her tears.

Gaara smiled at her. "I finally finished it."

"It's beautiful." Her voice catching because of her tears.

"Just like the woman who inspired it." He bent down and kissed a tear from her cheek. Zakuro turned her head and caught his mouth in a kiss. He kissed her back softly and sweetly.

Then giggling Zakuro took his hand and ran from the room, her tears dried. The two hurried down the stairs, laughing at themselves. At the landing Gaara even lifted her off the ground swinging her into his arms.

Naruto, who had been dusting in the foyer, looked up, startled. "Hey Zakuro!" He grinned.

"Naruto!" Zakuro cried, a smile lighting up her face. Gaara set her down and she ran to Naruto. Throwing her arms around him she said. "Oh Naruto, I'm so glad you're ok."

He smiled then cringed. "I'm glad you're ok too Zakuro." He struggled to keep his voice even but he cried out. "Ow, ow ,ow!"

Zakuro quickly released him and stepped back. Naruto gently rubbed his arm which was bandaged and in a sling. "Oh my god what happened?"

Naruto smiled sheepishly. "Just a broken arm. Sakura said it should heal in a few days but it's still a little tender."

"I owe you a big thank you Naruto for everything you've done for me." Zakuro hugged him again, wary of his injured arm.

Naruto grinned again. "No thanks are necessary, it's what I do."

Zakuro giggled.

"Are you hungry?" He asked her.

"I'm starving actually." Zakuro smiled. Having been asleep for over a day, her stomach was pinched with hunger. "Do you have anymore of that ramen?"

"Oh not you too." Gaara finally said, rolling his eyes. Zakuro looked at him questioningly and Naruto frowned. "He never eats anything else." Gaara explained.

Scowling Naruto said. "Like you know. You never eat."

Zakuro blinked. "That reminds me," She turned to Gaara. "The whole time I've been here I haven't seen you eat once. Is that because I didn't see much of you or…?"

"No," He repiled calmly. "I didn't eat at all the whole time you've been here. I actually haven't eaten in," He paused. "Two months maybe." Zakuro looked surprised. "Demons have different metabolisms too." He expained.

"C'mon then Z, I'll get you some ramen. I just made some, just gotta heat it up." Naruto noticed that Zakuro had stopped short. "What?"

She smiled. "You called me Z."

"Oh," Naruto said. "Well after hanging around Shikamaru it kinda caught on. I won't call you that if you mind it."

"No, no it's ok." Zakuro smiled. "I like that nickname. You can call me whatever you like."

"I'm going to call you Zakuro." Gaara said.

She smiled teasingly at him. She took the collar of his jacket and pulled him close. "Can I give you a nickname then?"

He smiled. "Like what?"

"Love demon." Naruto piped up in a gushy voice. He started laughing. Gaara and Zakuro looked at him, Zakuro with a cocked eyebrow and Gaara with a menacing scowl. Naruto's laughter turned uncomfortable. The two just stared at him. "Well," He scratched the back of his head and started walking backward toward the kitchen. "I'm gonna get that ramen."

After he disappeared down the hall Gaara started laughing. Zakuro couldn't help but laugh too. She liked seeing Gaara happy rather than all moody like he had been.

In the kitchen Naruto was tending to a pan of ramen on the stove, his broken arm giving him problems. Sakura came in from the terrace with a watering can in one hand and a boquet of flowers in the other. "Hi Z it's about time you woke up I was getting worried. "She smiled. "How are you feeling?" Sakura asked as she swapped the dead flowers on the windowsill for the new ones.

"Fine." Zakuro shrugged then winced slightly.

Sakura arched a pink brow. "Don't hold out on me." She put down the watering can, tossed out the old flowers and walked over to them. "How are the stitches? Red? Swollen?"

"A little red and still tender." Zakuro said, ignoring Gaara's over concerned look.

"That's normal." Sakura said. "I'll take a better look at them later."

Zakuro hugged Sakura. "Thank you." She said.

Sakura smiled and hugged her back. "You don't have to thank me."

"I do though." Gaara said quietly. The girls turned to look at him. Naruto did too but accidentally burned his hand on the stove. Gaara's eyes bore into Sakura's. "You saved Zakuro's life Sakura, she would've died without you. And for that I thank you. You have no idea how much it means to me."

Sakura smiled. "You're welcome."

Gaara smiled back his eyes soft.

"Soup's on." Naruto suddenly said grinning. He set a bowl on the counter.

Zakuro sat down at the counter and picked up the chopsticks. Digging in she devoured the one bowl in less than a minute. As Naruto refilled the bowl Gaara sat down next to her. Swallowing another mouthful she picked up a buch of noodles and held it out to him. Gaara shook his head. Zakuro frowned at him. "C'mon Mr. I haven't eaten in two months, you have to eat something." Gaara frowned at her for a moment before opening his mouth. Zakuro placed the noodles on his tongue and watched him chew and swallow. "Not so bad is it?" She tossed a sly glance at Naruto, who returned it.

Gaara looked sourly at her. "I"ve had better."

The three others in the room laughed. After that Zakuro and Gaara shared the next bowl. Sakura watched in fascination as she washed the dishes, the subtle way that Zakuro and Gaara loved each other was breaking her heart. She could see when their hands brushed, as they spoke softly to each other. She smiled when Gaara kissed Zakuro's forehead. "You're so lucky Zakuro." Sakura finally said.

Zakuro and Gaara looked questioningly at her. "What do you mean?" Zakuro said.

"You're living every girl's dream." Sakura said.

Gaara looked skeptical. "Every girl's dream is to fall for a demon?"

"Not what I meant." Sakura explained rolling her eyes at him. She got a misty look in her green eyes. "I mean that you've found someone who loves you for who you are, someone who you can share your life and soul with. I'm so jealous of you." She smiled warmly. "I'd kill to have someone to hold me and tell me that I'm beautiful." Sakura blushed, letting her imagination run away with her.

Naruto grinned and stepped closer to Sakura. "Well my one arm is out of commision but," He put his good arm around her. "I think you're beautiful Sakura."

Sighing Sakura rolled her eyes. "Be serious for once Naruto." She walked away, wiping her hands on her apron.

Naruto watched her walk away, his mouth hanging open. "I am serious!" He exclaimed. He looked at the others.

Zakuro smiled sympathetically. "Well Naruto you know, your goofy attitude doesn't come off as very serious."

"But I am." He insisted. "I really like Sakura. But apparently she doesn't like me."

"Don't be so sure." Gaara said. "She does like you."

Naruto frowned. "How do you know?"

Gaara arched his lack of brow. "Did you forget that I've always been here? I watched the two of you grow up. I know that she likes you."

"Yeah," Zakuro piped up. "I can see it too. You're goofy Naruto but you're also sweet, a perfect combo. You're fun to be around, you make people laugh." She smiled. "Trust me, keep going with it and don't give up. Women like a direct approach rather than just beating around the bush."

Naruto considered what they said. "Wait, how did the direct approach work for you two?" He looked at Gaara. "You locked her up."

Zakuro and Gaara looked at one another. "We're complicated." Zakuro said slowly.

"I know now that I loved her from the start but I couldn't, well wouldn't have told you that then." Gaara said.

"I felt the same way and things just short of clicked." Zakuro said. Naruto looked skeptical. "Just really show her that you are serious." Zakuro continued. "Tell her how you feel and if you can and if not keep trying. Most importantly if you feel like you want to kiss her don't, let her come to you." She smiled.

Naruto thought hard for a long moment, brushing at the blond peach fuzz on his chin. (He hadn't shaved this morning.) "I don't know if you're right you guys but, " He smiled. "I'll give it a shot."

Zakuro and Gaara smiled back. "So," Zakuro said to Gaara. "What's on the agenda today? Is the mansion all cleaned up? What happened to the stuff that the guys were looting?"

"All taken care of. They didn't get away with anything." Naruto said.

Gaara nodded. "I was wondering if you'd be willing to go back to the village for a while today. I know Shikamaru wanted to see that you were ok and anything else you wanted to do before coming back home."

She liked the way he'd said home, she belonged here. "Yeah, I'd like that. I need to see Shikamaru and Mikoto," She glanced at the two men. "Sasuke's mother and my adoptive mother."

Naruto's smile faded. "Oh yeah, Gaara told me and Sakura about Sasuke. I'm sorry Z."

"It's ok." But her lips started to tremble. She bit down on her lower lip as the feel of tears clawed at her throat. Gaara put his arms around her and held her close. After a moment she smiled devilishly. "There are a few other things I need to take care of too."

The two men shared a glance but didn't question her. After washing out her dish in the sink, Zakuro and the others walked out to the living room. There they saw Sakura sweeping the floor. Spotting the ribbon in her hair, Zakuro walked to her. "Can I borrow that ribbon, Sakura?" She pointed to the black satin cloth in the girl's pink hair.

"This?" Sakura touched it. "Sure I guess, I've got more of them." She pulled out the ribbon and her shoulder length hair settled like the flowers of her name around her face.

Zakuro took it and tied up her long gold hair.

"You two going out?" Sakura asked Zakuro and Gaara.

Gaara nodded. Zakuro said. "Yeah, I have a few stops to make in the village. We won't be long."

Sakura nodded. Then Naruto said with distain. "Yeah we'd go with you except we have chores." 

"Actually you don't." The other three were puzzled by Gaara's words. He just smiled. Taking an old yellowed piece of parchment from his jacket pocket, Gaara walked to the fireplace and tossed it into the crackling flames. They all watched the flames slowly burned away the paper.

The two servants watched in awe. Sakura looked shaken. "Is," She said. "Is that what I think it is?"

"Your contract? Yes." Gaara turned to face Naruto and Sakura, his demeanor as master of the house returning. "The two of you are no longer bound to serve my family in this house. You're free."

Sakura put a hand over her mouth, she couldn't believe it. A pole couldn't have held up Naruto's jaw. But then a huge grin spread across his face and he swung his good fist in the air. "Yes!! Haha!!" He cheered before hugging Sakura who was crying in hysterical happiness.

Zakuro smiled. Her two friends, the two previous servants looked so happy. Naruto couldn't stop grinning. Sakura was smiling, crying, pushing Naruto away and then hugging him again. She looked over at Gaara who smiled at her and offered her his hand. She took it, no longer shocked by the cold chill of his skin. In fact was it her imagination or was his skin warmer? Zakura shook off the thought as they walked out to the foyer and out through the door, leaving her friends to their celebration.

Outside the land showed signs of warmer weather. The thick snow of the night of the battle had melted down to slush, only a light dusting of snow covered the ground like powder. The temperature however was freezing, their breath rose in small puffs and Zakuro shivered. Gaara took off his cloak and slipped it over her shoulders. She blushed a little and smiled at him. The cloth smelled just like him, pulling it close she snuggled into it. Arching a brow at him she said. "When did you get to be a nice guy?"

He looked questioningly at her. She nodded toward the door. Gaara looked at the door for a long moment. "I owe it to them." He said. "That contract was actually signed by their ancestors before I was even born. My father hired them and they signed in blood, agreeing to serve my family for as long as it existed. I watched generation after generation of their families and others grow and die. Naruto and Sakura are all that's left of them It's time to let them go so they can finally be free."

Zakuro nodded reluctantly. It was selfish but she didn't want to see Naruto and Sakura leave but after all these years, all of their family members forced to work here, it was what was right. She looked to see that Gaara had a peculiar look on his face. "What?" She asked. He just shook his head. Zakuro started for the woods but Gaara gently caught her hand. "What now?"

He smiled, looking mischievous. "I was just thinking that's an awful long walk through those woods."

"Where are you going with this?"

"What if there was a faster way?" He said still smiling.

"What do you mean?" She was confused and little nervous.

Gaara rolled his eyes and sighed. Suddenly he drew her close against his chest, his hands on her back. Zakuro's cheeks turned hot and her breath left quickly in the softest sigh. Her heart pounded in her chest as a pleasant thrill ran through her body as he smiled down at her. "Just take a deep breath," Gaara whispered in her ear, sending shivers down her back. "And what ever you do, don't let go of me."

Zakuro did as she was told, holding her breath. But then she gasped in shock as she felt her feet leave the ground. Suddenly the world was spinning so fast around her that she got dizzy and clamped her eyes shut. She clung tighter to Gaara, pressing her face to his chest. If this didn't stop soon she swore she was gonna be sick. Then her feet hit the ground with a thud and she stumbled almost falling.

Gaara drew her back against him, steadying her. "Are you ok?" He couldn't keep the small chuckle from his voice.

Her head still spun and her stomach turned. "I think I'm gonna be sick." Zakuro breathed through her mouth, hoping to quell the churning in her stomach. He brushed her hair back from her face as her nausea finally passed. "That was that vanishing act of yours wasn't it?" She mumbled.

"Yes." She could hear the smile in his voice. "More like teleporting than vanishing though."

"That's scary."

Gaara chuckled. "It must take some getting used to. I love it. That was actually the first time I tried that with another person to tell you the truth."

"What?!" Zakuro frowned at him. She looked around and saw that they stood at the edge of the woods on the beaten down path to the village.

He smiled meekly. "It was faster than walking right?" She shoved him in the chest and walked down the path toward the village. "Oh come on Zakuro you're alright, you didn't even get sick." He called after her. She heard him laugh before he was suddenly beside her again.

After just a few days the village seemed foreign to her. Zakuro couldn't see the light, only the shadows of the darkness that lurked within. She looked at Gaara whose eyes flashed maliciously. He caught her look and turned away ashamed. Zakuro took his hand and gave it an encouraging squeeze. She would protect him, she wouldn't let anyone hurt him.

Just inside the village Shikamaru slouched on the wall outside his house talking with Choji. "It's ridiculous." He was saying. Then Choji's eyes widened before he gave a small cry. "What?" He asked before turning. There he saw Gaara standing beside him. "Oh, hey Gaara. How are you?"

Gaara nodded and stepped aside. Behind him stood Zakuro, looking as radiant as ever. She grinned at him.

"Z, you're alright!" He exclaimed before she threw her arms around him. Shikamaru hugged her tightly, a smile lighting up his gloomy face.

Zakuro kissed his cheek. "Shikamaru you are a sweetheart, thank you so much."

"You're welcome Z. You'll always be my friend, you can count on me for anything." He and Gaara shook hands. "I told you she'd be fine." He said. "She'd never stop fighting if it meant losing you."

Gaara smiled before putting his arm around Zakuro's waist. His eyes wandered to Choji who stood looking very shaken. Gaara frowned turning back to Shikamaru and asking. "How have things been here?"

Shikamaru turned gloomy again. He pulled a box of cigarettes from his shirt pocket and tapped it twice on the heel of his hand before taking one out. "Well you know, as well as expected." He lifted the cigarette to his mouth.

Zakuro swiped it. "What is this? I thought you quit."

"Yeah for like a month." Choji finally said. He stepped closer to Zakuro. "He's back to two packs a day."

"Shikamaru?" Zakuro was appalled. After years and help from his friends he had found it in himself to quit smoking.

Shikamaru looked ashamed. "I'm sorry you guys but I smoke when I'm stressed." He held out his hand for the cigarette. Zakuro knew she shouldn't give it to him but the look on his face said he really needed it. With a resigning sigh she placed it in his waiting hand. He quickly lit it with a match.

"It's not good for you Shikamaru." Zakuro said. "You're going to get sick, those things can kill you."

He sat back on the wall. Shikamaru shut his eyes as a tear slipped down his cheek. "You sound like my mom, Z."

She sat down beside him and wrapped her arms around him. "What's wrong?"

"I bet I can guess." Gaara said coldly.

Shikamaru took a long drag on the cigarette. "Like I said things here in the village have been going as well as expected." Tendrils of smoke curled around his face as he spoke before vanishing. "Ever since the night we brought Sasuke's body back and I was seen as being Gaara's friend the village has turned against me. No one talks to me anymore, Kiba and the other guys included. They actually spread it around. Choji's my only loyal friend, my best friend." He stopped to smile appreciatively. "Even my parents have disowned me. I live like a ghost in my own home, alive but ignored."

Zakuro's mouth hung open. "Shikamaru…" She said sympathetically.

"No," He snapped. "You know what if that's how they want to be then that's fine with me. I'm sick of it. I will believe what I want to believe and I will stand by the two of you." He looked at Zakuro and Gaara.

"But your mom and dad?" Zakuro asked.

He waved it off. "If they want to abandon their only child then fine."

Zakuro hugged him again. She knew how much this was hurting him, even if he wanted to be all tough about it. The she smiled playfully, she wanted to cheer him up a little. "You know you smell like an ash tray."

Shikamaru smiled. "I know." He flicked the ash from the cigarette onto the ground.

Gaara looked downcast. "I'm sorry for all this."

"Don't sweat it Gaara." Shikamaru said casually. "It was my decision to call you my friend and I will never regret it."

"That just makes me sick." Zakuro spat.

"What more did you expect Zakuro?" Gaara asked. "Humans just don't except me and I've made myself the village's enemy of my own choice."

Zakuro took his hand. "I won't let anyone hurt, I promise." Gaara smiled down at her. She turned back to Shikamaru. "I take it I missed Sasuke's funeral?"

Shikamaru nodded. "Yeah, but don't worry too much. It was less of a ceremony than Kiba and the others telling everyone that will listen that they know about you and Gaara."

"Those jerks." She muttered. "How are his parents?" She asked sadly.

"His father is as callous as ever."

"And Mikoto?"

Shikamaru's face gave her a sinking feeling. "She didn't speak a word the whole time. I think she's still in shock."

Gaara's breath caught. Mikoto's grief stricken face appeared in his mind and he heard her cries in his ears.

Zakuro's eyes started to sting. Her face grew hot and she bit back a sob. "I have to go see them. I owe them so much."

Shikamaru put his arm around her shoulders. "Just promise you'll be careful Z. I know that many are gonna turn against you too."

Her face hardened. "I don't care for those who do and Mikoto never will. She took me in, she's my mother and I love her."

"I'm glad Z." Shikamaru hugged her. "You've always been strong, always had the guts to stand up for what you believe in." He smiled at Gaara. " You hooked a winner Gaara."

"I know." Gaara replied warmly.

Zakuro smiled, but felt a little stab in her heart for all her pretending. How could she have just gone on when reality was so cruel?

"Hey Zakuro can I talk to you for a minute?" She looked up at Choji who glanced at her before looking down at his feet.

"Sure Choji." She stood off from the wall and followed him a few feet away. "What is it?"

He looked up at her meekly. "I…I want to apologize for being a part of that raid. It was stupid, I was stupid and I should've seen that. I'm sorry." Choji looked at the ground like a man condemned.

Zakuro smiled and kissed his cheek. He looked up at her, shocked and silent. "You're sweet Choji, thank you. And don't worry, I'm not mad at you. You stayed by Shikamaru's side even now, you're a loyal friend."

Choji smiled back before glancing at Gaara. He stood beside Shikamaru talking quietly. Zakuro saw Shikamaru nod. Choji looked back at her. "Pass it on to Gaara, will you?"

Zakuro blinked. He had used Gaara's name. "Of course."

"Not that I hold anything against him." He quickly explained. "It's just that…"

Zakuro could tell by his expression. "You know you don't have to be afraid of him. He won't hurt anyone anymore and you know most of those stories don't tell the whole truth either." She smiled. "You shouldn't believe everything you hear."

"Yeah." Choji said. "Thanks Zakuro."

"You're welcome Choji." The two walked back where Shikamaru and Gaara were. They were still talking quietly, their heads close. As Zakuro stepped closer they suddenly stopped. "What was that about?" She asked.

"What?" Gaara said.

"Nothing." Shikamaru replied.

She didn't like the reassuring smiles on their faces. Zakuro was quickly suspicious.

"Where are you two going now?" Shikamaru asked as Choji sat down beside him.

"The Inn." Zakuro said, her mouth a harsh line.

Gaara noticed the sudden change in her attitude. "Why?"

"I have some business to attend to." She said, tightening her hair ribbon.

Shikamaru smiled, Zakuro had something up her sleeve. "Have fun."

"Oh I will." Zakuro grinned. She hugged Shikamaru again. "Goodbye Shikamaru."

"For good?" He held her close.

"No, never. I won't be living here anymore but I'll come to see you." She said drawing away. "I promise."

Shikamaru and Gaara shook hands. "Bye you two."

"Farewell Shikamaru." Gaara said with a small smile.

Zakuro caught that smile. "Bye Choji." She waved and he waved back. Gaara gave him a wave and a smile before taking Zakuro's hand and walking away. She laced her fingers through his and smiled up at him with a cocked brow.

"What?" Gaara asked.

"What was with that little conversation between you and Shikamaru back there?" She motioned with her head.

"Nothing, we were just talking." Her expression didn't change. "Really," He went on. "We were just having a conversation. What about you? What was with that look and that comment back there?" He put on his best impression of her. "' I have some business to attend to.'"

She made a face at him. "I don't sound like that."

"Yes you do."

"Do not."

He pulled her close and rested his forehead on hers. "Yes you do."

Her cheeks went pink. "Maybe I do."

He smiled with half of his mouth. That lopsided smile was enough to send her heart racing. His skin was warmer; it wasn't just her imagination. Zakuro smiled back at him before putting an arm around his waist and continuing to the Inn.

Author's Note: Ok ok I know that I've been gone for like ever. I've been busy and working on other fics and preparing for school. So here's the next chapter. Please no flaming me for being gone so long, it's late and I'm tired.


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